Malifaux (Fourth Edition) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Glossary
  • Quick-reference icons
• Breaking the Rules
• Models
• Stat Cards
• Crew Cards
• Fate Cards
  • Reading the Cards
  • The Fate Deck
  • Removed from the Game
  • The Control Hand
  • The Conflict
  • The Discard Pile
• Using the Cards
  • Revealing Cards
  • Flips
  • Cheating Fate
  • Jokers
• Performing Duels
• Relenting
• The Table
  • Measuring
  • Moving
  • Place
  • Elevation
  • Moving Vertically
  • Falling
  • Jumping
• Line of Sight
  • Blocked Line of Sight
  • Objects on Terrain
• Gameplay
  • Turn Sequence
  • Start Phase
  • Activation Phase
  • Passing
  • Tracking Activations
  • End Phase
• Abilities
  • Defensive Abilities
• Actions
  • Attack Actions and Tactical Actions
  • General Actions
  • Resolving Actions
• Triggers
  • Trigger Timing
• Additional Actions
• Killing as a Cost
• Restrictions and Costs
  • Special Restrictions
  • Targeting Restrictions
  • Costs
• Damage
  • Increasing Damage
  • Damage Timing
  • Killed Timing Chart
  • Who Killed Whom
  • Markers and Killed Models
• Healing
• Friendly and Enemy
• Control
  • Friendly / Enemy-Controlled
  • Copied Actions
• Engagement
• Soulstones
  • Infusing Soulstones
  • Draining Soulstones
  • Soulstone Triggers
• Station
• Markers
  • Making Markers
  • Scheme Markers
  • Remains Markers
  • Strategy Markers
• Tokens
  • Basic Malifaux Tokens
  • Math
  • The "X" Variable
• Replace
• Summoning
• Upgrade Cards
  • Upgrade Limitations
  • Parts of an Upgrade Card
• The Rule of Intent
• Timing
  • Sequential Effects
  • Simultaneous Effects
  • Cumulative Effects
  • Actions Generated by Effects
  • Detailed Timing
• Terrain
  • Cover and Concealment
  • Terrain Traits
  • Hazardous Terrain
  • Terrain Examples
• Special Terrain
  • Special Terrain Traits
  • Parts of a Special Terrain Rules Card
• Encounters
  • Encounter Setup
  • Gameplay
• End of Encounter
  • Strategies
• Schemes
  • Parts of a Scheme Card
  • Gaining Grounds

Glossary

Action Limit: The number of actions a model can declare during its activation. By default, a model's action limit is two actions and one signature action.

Active player / Active model: The player that is currently activating a model / the model currently activating.

Ally / Allied model: One model is an ally to another model if the two models are friendly and share at least one keyword. A model is considered allied with itself.

Another model: A model other than the model that generated the effect in question.

Attack action: An action with a resist stat, resolved with an opposed duel. Attack actions cannot target friendly models.

Base Contact: Two objects are in base contact with each other if their bases are physically touching.

Controller: The player currently making decisions for the model.

Different model: A model other than the target.

Effective Size: A model's effective Sz is its Sz plus the Ht of any terrain it is supported by. Effective Sz does not affect any actions, abilities, or triggers that reference Sz.

Enemy model: One model is enemy to another model if they are not in the same crew, i.e. they were hired by different players.

Friendly model: One model is friendly to another model if they are both in the same crew, i.e. hired by the same player.

Initiator / Initiating model: The model in an opposed duel that declared the action or otherwise caused the opposed duel to occur.

Resister / Resisting model: The target of an opposed duel.

Keyword: A word indicating to which crew the model belongs.

Maximum hand size: The maximum amount of fate cards a player may hold in their control hand at once. By default, this is seven.

Model Limit: The maximum number of copies of a model that a crew can contain.

Owner: The player who hired the crew the model is a part of.

Tactical action: An action without a resist stat, resolved with a simple duel. Models may target themselves and any other models with tactical actions (barring action-specific restrictions).

This model: The model (stat card or upgrade card) that has the effect in question printed on it.

Quick-reference icons

• Suits (pg. 7): Ram (r) = Hearts (♥); Mask (m) = Diamonds (♦); Tome (t) = Clubs (♣); Crow (c) = Spades (♠); Red Joker = any one suit, or none; Black Joker = none.
• Defensive Ability Types (pg. 33): Fortitude Ability (u); Warding Ability (x); Unusual Defense Ability (v).
• Attack Action Types (pg. 34): Melee (y); Missile (z); Magic (q).
• Other Iconography: Soulstone (s, pg. 44); Pulse (p, pg. 13); Signature Action (f, pg. 34).
• Action Modifiers:
  • Cover (pg. 57): The target reduces damage by 1, to a minimum of 0.
  • Concealment (pg. 57): All attacks that draw LoS through more than 1" of concealing terrain, or any amount through concealing terrain the initiator is not standing in, suffer a −.
  • Positive Fate Modifier (+) (pg. 8): Flip one extra card per +, may choose any card. Canceled by −.
  • Negative Fate Modifier (−) (pg. 8): Flip one extra card per −, must choose the smallest numbered card. Canceled by +.

Breaking the Rules

Models in Malifaux have many unique rules that override the core rules. When a special rule explicitly contradicts the core rules, follow the special rule rather than the core rule.

For instance, an action that states it does not require line of sight is allowed to disobey the normal line of sight rules, and it may therefore choose a target in range even if it cannot see the target. If two special rules directly contradict each other, rules that prevent something from happening take precedence over rules that allow something to happen.

Models

In Malifaux, a model is a collection of things, including the physical figure itself, the base it is mounted on, and that model's associated stat card. Each model is defined by a collection of statistics (more often referred to as stats) that represent how well its character moves, attacks, and defends.

The stat cards for all models in Fourth Edition are freely available to browse through the Crew Builder app.

Stat Cards

Every model has an associated stat card that lists the information required to use that model in the game.

1. Name & Title: This is the name and title of the model. Some mechanics may reference the model's name. The Gaki does not have a title, but Kirai does listed under her name.
2. Cost: This shows the model's cost, which is primarily used when hiring a crew for an encounter.
3. Summon Target Number (STN): If a model may be chosen to be summoned by certain actions it will have an STN, which determines how difficult it is to summon.
4. Faction: This shows the faction to which the model belongs.
5. Characteristics: Characteristics provide information on the character's physical nature, such as if it is living or undead, and their station within the crew. Characteristics may be referenced by certain game rules, most commonly targeting restrictions.
6. Keywords: A model's keyword determines which crews can hire the model without restriction at the start of the game. Keywords can also be referenced by rules during the game, most commonly by effects listed on the crew's crew card.
7. Stats: A model possesses the following stats, which represent its physical and mental strengths. A model's stats may never be lowered below 0.
   • Defense (Df): This represents the model's capability of protecting itself from physical harm.
   • Willpower (Wp): This represents the model's strength of will and self-control.
   • Speed (Sp): This represents the distance (in inches) that a model may travel when taking either a Walk or Charge action.
   • Size (Sz): This represents how much space the model takes up on the table and is most often used when determining line of sight.
8. Health: This indicates a model's maximum health, which also tracks its current health before it is killed. If a model's health has an s symbol at the end, its owner infuses a soulstone when it is killed.
9. Abilities: Models have abilities that change how they interact with the rules, such as making the model difficult to damage or allowing it to fly over terrain. A model's abilities are always considered to be active during an encounter unless otherwise indicated in their description.
10. Actions: Actions are special attacks or maneuvers that a model can take during its activation. Most actions are defined on the model's stat card, but there are some general actions available to all models. Actions are broken up into two categories: attack actions and tactical actions.
11. Triggers: Many actions have optional, additional effects called triggers. These triggers resolve in addition to the action, but only if the action has the trigger's listed suit in its final duel total.
12. Base Size: This is the model's base size.

The stat cards of master models also include the name of their crew card and totem, printed alongside the model's title.

Crew Cards

When a master is chosen as a crew's leader during hiring, automatically add the crew card listed beneath their characteristics to their crew. Crew cards remain in effect for the entire encounter, even if their associated master has been killed. Crew cards do not count as upgrades. A crew can never contain more than one crew card.

1. Name: The name of the crew card.
2. Associated Master: The name of the master that adds this crew card to the game.
3. Effects: Each crew card has a variety of effects that adjust how the models within its crew work, most commonly by granting models of a specific keyword new abilities or actions. When a model gains an ability, action, or trigger as a result of a crew card, it is considered to be printed on that model's stat card.
4. Power Bar: Some crew cards have a bar that tracks a specific resource used by the crew, called a power bar. These bars will often have thematic names, which are rarely referenced. Power bars begin at 0 unless otherwise indicated, and cannot be reduced below 0. If an effect would increase a power bar beyond the maximum amount listed, any excess is ignored. A power bar is considered "full" while it is at its maximum amount of its tracked resource and "empty" when it is at 0.

Keyword Reference: The keyword reference includes a definition of all the tokens and markers models belonging to that keyword reference on their stat cards. After masters are revealed, a copy of both master's keyword references should be given to each player.

Fate Cards

Malifaux uses cards, called fate cards, to generate random numbers. There are typically four places fate cards might be located during gameplay: the fate deck, the control hand, the conflict, or the discard pile. Each player has their own fate deck. A fate deck is made up of 54 fate cards and is similar to a standard poker deck with four suits of thirteen cards each and two jokers.

Reading the Cards

Each card has two pieces of information: Value (the number on the card) and Suit (the suit on the card). Malifaux uses its own suits, but they translate to the standard playing card suits as below.

• Rams (r) [♥] – 13 cards, 1 through 13
• Masks (m) [♦] – 13 cards, 1 through 13
• Tomes (t) [♣] – 13 cards, 1 through 13
• Crows (c) [♠] – 13 cards, 1 through 13
• Jokers – 2 cards, Black Joker and Red Joker

The red joker has a value of 14 and has one suit (or no suit) of its owner's choosing. The black joker has a value of 0 and has no suits.

The Fate Deck

Fate decks are put face down so that none of their cards can be seen. Players are not allowed to look through either fate deck.

If, at any time, a player's fate deck runs out of cards, they shuffle their discard pile and put it face down to form a fresh fate deck. Players must offer their deck to their opponent to cut whenever it is shuffled.

Removed from the Game

Some game effects may cause a player to remove a fate card from the game. When doing so, the fate card is set aside face up. Cards removed from the game are not put back into their owner's fate deck when it is shuffled and are ignored by all game effects that do not specifically mention them.

The Control Hand

Any time a player draws cards, they are put into that player's control hand (or just their "hand" for short). Similarly, if a model ever draws cards, those cards are drawn from its controller's fate deck and put in its controller's hand. A player's maximum hand size is seven. If, after resolving any action, trigger, or ability, any player's hand size exceeds their maximum hand size, they must discard to meet their maximum hand size.

A player may look at their hand at any time, but the contents are kept secret from their opponent.

The Conflict

Cards that are currently in use are considered to be in the conflict, a clear area somewhere on the table. All information on cards in the conflict is public knowledge. If a player would add multiple cards to the conflict at the same time, they only put one card into the conflict; the others are discarded.

Once the effect that caused a card to be flipped is resolved, the card is discarded.

The Discard Pile

Each player has a discard pile located adjacent to their fate deck. The discard pile is face up. It may not be reordered at any time during the game. Players may look through their own discard piles but may not slow the game by doing so.

Whenever a card is discarded, it is put on top of the owner's discard pile. If multiple cards are put into a discard pile at once, they are revealed to all players before being put in the discard pile in any order the discarding player chooses. Cards discarded after flipping, cheating fate, or from the conflict are not considered discarded by the player or any specific model for the purposes of game effects.

Game effects that occur after a model discards a card only occur if a game effect specifies for a player or model to discard a card.

Using the Cards

In the course of the game, players will use their fate cards in a variety of ways. Below are the most common terms associated with these cards.

Revealing Cards

When a fate card is revealed, it is shown to both players. If the reveal effect does not specify where the card is put after it is revealed it is put back where it originated from before the reveal effect. If multiple cards are revealed from a player's fate deck simultaneously, they are put back on top of that fate deck in a manner so that their order does not change.

If an effect allows a player to "look at" a card, it is treated as revealing the card. However, the card is only privately shown to the player "looking at" it. When a player looks at a card, it is not public knowledge and is not turned face up.

Flips

Flips are used to generate random results. When a flip is required, a player reveals the top card of their fate deck and adds it to the conflict to generate a random number and/or suit. If a player would add multiple cards to the conflict at the same time, only one card is put into the conflict; the others are discarded. No more than four cards may be revealed as part of a single flip; any additional effects that would flip more cards, such as additional fate modifiers, are ignored.

Sometimes, an effect will instruct a player to "reflip" one or more cards. When this occurs, the player discards the originally flipped card(s) and flips a new card from their fate deck.

Fate Modifiers (+ or -): Fate modifiers are used to adjust a model's luck, whether beneficial or harmful based on the model's given circumstances.

There are two types of fate modifiers: positive modifiers (+) and negative modifiers (-). Each of these icons cancels one of the other icons, so a flip can only be affected by one or the other (or neither), never both.

For each fate modifier on a flip, one additional card is revealed to a maximum of four (so a + flip would reveal two cards, as would a - flip). If the flip had a +, the player may choose to use any one of the revealed cards. If the flip had a -, the player must use the lowest value revealed card. If multiple cards are tied for lowest value, the flipping player chooses one of the tied cards.

The jokers are the only exception to which cards are used. If the red joker is revealed, it may be chosen even if the flip had one or more -. If the black joker is revealed, it must be chosen, even if the flip had one or more +. If both jokers are revealed, the black joker takes precedence and must be chosen.

Examples:

1. A player must make a flip with a ++ modifier. She flips one card by default, the 4 Rams, and then two additional cards, the 7 Rams and the 12 Tomes. She will likely decide to use the 12 Tomes for a larger duel total, but she could choose to use the 7 Rams or 4 Rams if she preferred the Rams suit instead of Tomes.
2. A player must make a flip with a ---- modifier. She flips one card by default, the 4 Rams, and then an additional three cards, reaching the maximum of four cards for a single flip. She flips the 7 Rams, the 12 Tomes and the 4 Crows. She must choose the card with the lowest value, but there is a tie between the 4 Rams and the 4 Crows. So, while she must choose one of the flipped 4s, she may choose whether to use the 4 Rams or the 4 Crows.

Cheating Fate

After flipping a card, a player has the opportunity to cheat fate by replacing the card they flipped into the conflict with a card from their hand. To do this, they choose the card in their hand that they wish to cheat fate with and put it into the conflict, putting their previous card into their discard pile.

A player may cheat any flip they wish, provided there is nothing stating that the flip cannot be cheated. Cheating fate does not count as flipping or discarding a card.

Once a player has cheated fate or the opportunity to cheat fate has been declined, the player no longer has the opportunity to cheat fate for that flip. More information about cheating fate, such as who cheats fate first, can be found in Step C of Performing Duels.

The jokers affect the ways in which a player can cheat fate. If a player flips the black joker, that flip cannot be cheated until the black joker is discarded. If a player flips and chooses the red joker on an opposed duel, their opponent cannot cheat their own flip until the red joker is discarded.

Jokers

The two jokers work differently than many other cards. Their rules are summarized below.

Black Joker: The black joker has a value of 0 and no suit. Regardless of any fate modifiers, if the black joker is revealed, the player must choose it, even if there are one or more cards revealed because of + fate modifiers.

If the black joker is flipped, that player cannot cheat fate.

Red Joker: The red joker has a value of 14 and one suit of its owner's choice, or no suits if she wishes. As long as the black joker is not also revealed, the red joker may always be chosen during a flip, even if there are one or more cards revealed because of - fate modifiers. When a model chooses or cheats the red joker during a duel, it receives an additional raise. If a model flipped the red joker and chose it for the conflict of an opposed duel, the opposing model may not cheat fate until it is discarded.

Performing Duels

Malifaux uses duels to resolve most conflicts. In a duel, a model pits its relevant stat or skill (Skl) against another number. All duels involve flipping cards and adding a stat or Skl to calculate a duel total. If a duel doesn't have a listed resist (Rst), it is a simple duel. If a duel has a resist, then it is an opposed duel. Opposed duels involve two different models each making a duel and then comparing their final duel totals to determine a victor.

Any time a model takes a duel using a specific stat (such as Wp), it is said to be a duel of that type (i.e. a Wp duel). Similarly, if an action has a Melee, Missile, or Magic icon in its range (Rg), the duel is said to be a duel of that type as well (i.e., a Melee duel or Missile duel).

To perform a duel, follow these steps:

• A. Modify the Duel
• B. Flip Fate Card
• C. Cheat Fate
• D. Determine Final Duel Total
• E. Declare Triggers
• F. Determine Outcome
• G. Receive Raises
• H. After Performing

Step A: Modify the Duel. If either player has any effects that resolve before performing a duel, they resolve now, beginning with the player controlling the initiating model.

Then, before any cards are flipped, each model has the opportunity to empower their duel by discarding a card of value 5 or lower from their hand (beginning with the initiator). If they do so, they receive both a + and add the suit of the discarded card to their duel total.

Step B: Flip Fate Card. Any models involved in the duel perform a flip. If either player was affected by one or more + or -, those additional cards are flipped now. Any player with a + may choose which card they wish to use. Any player with a - must choose the lowest value card to use (the active player chooses first when choosing between cards due to a fate modifier). Cards are flipped simultaneously. As such, players may look at any cards their opponent flipped before (beginning with the initiator) selecting a card to add to the conflict. Players add their stat, the value and suit of the flipped card, and additional suits and modifiers to determine their current duel total.

Players now calculate and must inform their opponent of their current duel total.

Step C: Cheat Fate. Players now have the opportunity to cheat fate. In an opposed duel, the player with the lowest duel total has the first opportunity to cheat fate; in the event of a tie, the resisting model cheats first. Once that player cheats fate or decides not to, their opponent has the opportunity to cheat fate. Players only have one opportunity to cheat fate per duel.

Step D: Determine Final Duel Total. Players then add their appropriate stat, the value and suit of the card in the conflict, and any additional suits or modifiers together to determine their final duel total. Players must inform their opponent of their final duel total.

Step E: Declare Triggers. The initiating model may declare one trigger for which it meets the requirements. In order to declare a trigger, a model must have any listed suits and drain any listed soulstones noted to the left of the name of the trigger. If a trigger has a cost, it must be paid now, or the trigger cannot be declared.

Step F: Determine Outcome. Players must recalculate their final duel total based on any triggers or other effects that adjusted it. The model that initiated the duel must equal or exceed the target's final duel total (in opposed duels) and the target number (TN) of the duel, if applicable, to succeed in the duel. If a duel's TN includes one or more suits, the initiating model's final duel total must include the suit(s) to be considered successful.

In an opposed duel, the resisting model must exceed the initiating model's final duel total to succeed.

If a model is not successful in the duel, it is considered to have failed the duel. If the initiator exactly ties the resister's final duel total, the resister reduces damage dealt to itself by 1 (to a minimum of 0) if the attack deals damage.

Step G: Receive Raises. Models who succeed in a duel may receive raises in that duel based on how well they succeeded, which can be used to increase the damage dealt by a non-Magic action or activate an action's special effects.

By default, a model receives one raise for every value of 5 it exceeds the opposing model's final duel total, or the action's TN, using whichever is higher in the case of both. This is referred to as the raise value of the duel. There is no limit to the amount of raises a model can receive during a duel. If a model receives less than one raise, it is not considered to have received any raises. If the red joker is in the conflict during this step, the corresponding model receives one raise in addition to any other raises it receives.

Some game effects may adjust the raise value of a duel or attack, changing the amount needed to exceed the opponent's final duel total or the required TN to receive one raise.

Raise Examples:

1. A model attempts a simple duel with a TN of 10. It flips and calculates a duel total of 15 Rams. Since it has exceeded the required TN by 5, it would receive one raise. The model decides to cheat fate, increasing its final duel total to 21 Rams. It has exceeded the required TN by 11, and therefore receives two raises. The remaining excess of 1 is ignored.
2. A model attempts an opposed duel with a TN of 10. It flips and calculates a duel total of 15 Rams, while its opponent calculates a duel total of 12 Crows. Neither model chooses to cheat fate. The initiating model succeeds the action, but must use the resisting model's final duel total to calculate raises because the value of its final duel total is greater than the action's required TN of 10. The initiating model has exceeded the resisting model's final duel total by only 3, and therefore receives no raises.
3. A model attempts an opposed duel with a TN of 10. It flips and calculates a duel total of 15 Rams, while its opponent calculates a duel total of 12 Crows. Neither model chooses to cheat fate, but the initiating model declares the Devastating Strike trigger, changing the raise value of the attack to 3. The initiating model succeeds in the action, and must use the resisting model's final duel total to calculate raises. It has exceeded the resisting model's final duel total by 3, which is now exactly what it needs to receive one raise.

Step H: After Performing. First, discard any cards in the conflict. Then, resolve any effects that occur after a duel is performed.

Relenting

Relenting a duel is a way for a model to voluntarily fail a duel that was generated by a friendly model without flipping any cards for the resisting model. Models may not relent to the duel used to determine whether a tactical action they declared succeeds.

If two friendly models are in an opposed duel, the owner of the resisting model may choose for it to relent before any cards are flipped. If it does, the relenting model (but not the initiating model) skips Steps A through E of Performing Duels. The relenting model's final duel total is treated as being the same as the initiating model's final duel total, therefore any resulting damage dealt is reduced by 1.

If a model is in a simple duel generated by any friendly model, its owner may choose for it to relent and fail the duel before any cards are flipped. If it does, the relenting model skips Steps A through E of Performing Duels. The relenting model's final duel total is treated as 0 for this duel.

Relenting Examples:

1. Relenting to an Opposed Duel: Deacon Hillcrest declares the Translocation Ritual action targeting a friendly Firebranded. The Firebranded wants to allow this action to succeed, so it relents. Deacon flips the 7 Tomes, while the Firebranded flips no cards. Deacon's final duel total is 12 Tomes, and since the Firebranded chose to relent its final duel total is also 12 Tomes. This means Deacon meets (or exceeds) both the Firebranded's final duel total and Translocation Ritual's TN, so the action succeeds, but with a difference of 0 receives no raises.
2. Relenting to a Simple Duel: The Firestarter declares the Firebomb action on a nearby Scheme marker, catching himself in the pulse. The Firestarter could flip normally and attempt to pass this Sp duel, but since he is a friendly model to himself, he may choose to relent (perhaps because he wants to receive a Burning token from the Blaze trigger, for example). In this case, the Firestarter flips no cards and treats his final duel total as 0, which is less than the TN of 12.

The Table

Malifaux is played on a surface that measures 3 feet wide by 3 feet across. This space is referred to as the "table." This area is where the battle will take place. During a game, players will need to measure, move, interact with terrain, and draw line of sight (LoS). The rules governing these mechanics are explained below.

Measuring

All distances used in Malifaux are in inches or fractions thereof. Players are allowed to measure distances at any time, provided that doing so does not unduly slow down gameplay. Measurement is always done horizontally from the closest point on the base of the object in question, ignoring any vertical distance. If a player is measuring to an object, they measure to the closest point on the base of the target.

Many times, a player will need to determine if an object is within range of another. This is referring to the distance between the two objects. An object is within range if any portion of that object's base is at that distance or closer. Any effect that references an object being "within" a distance is talking about range. While not used often, if an object must be completely within a distance, all portions of that object's base must be at that distance or closer.

Two objects are said to be in base contact with each other if their bases are physically touching (edge to edge or overlapping). A model is never considered to be in base contact with itself.

Measuring Examples:

1. When measuring the distance between two models, measure the distance between the two bases horizontally. The vertical distance is ignored.
2. Two models in base contact with one another, because their bases are physically touching, are within 0" of one another.
3. A model standing on a Ht 1 rock measures 0" of horizontal distance to a model on the table below it, but because its base is above the other model's base, the two are not touching. They are within 0" of each other, even though they are not in base contact.

Pulses: The pulse icon means the action or ability affects an area around the object that has created the pulse. A pulse always extends out in all directions from an object a number of inches equal to the pulse's effect, as measured from the edge of the object's base.

Pulses are immediate "burst" effects that have no game effect after they are resolved. All objects inside the pulse's area, excluding the object from which the pulse is being measured, are affected by the pulse as long as the object from which the pulse emanates has LoS to them.

Pulse Example: Hayreddin declares the Sever Artery action. As a result, the two Young Nephilim to his right and the Terror Tot on the tall building are dealt 1 damage. The other two are not, as they are either out of range or not in Hayreddin's LoS. Although Hayreddin is within his own LoS and is his own ally, he is not affected by his own pulse.

The Area Between: Some effects in Malifaux affect all objects (models, markers, etc.) in the area between two or more other objects. To determine the area between two objects, draw a series of imaginary straight lines from the outside of each of the objects connecting them to form the largest possible polygonal shape, with each object as a corner of the polygonal shape.

Any objects whose base is at least partially within this shape (including the objects used to create the shape and anything overlapping their bases) are within the area between these objects.

The Area Between Example: Both models, both Scheme markers, and both crates in an example layout are in the area between the Surveyor and Scheme markers as they are all within the large (rounded) triangle shape created between them. However, looking at the area between just the Surveyor and the Scheme marker on the left, this area only contains the Surveyor, the Scheme marker, and the Silent One. The other Scheme marker and the crates are not within this area.

Moving

During a game, models will move around the table, but never off it. Any time something changes location or is affected by a movement effect, it is considered to have moved, even if it moved 0". When an effect states to move a model a set distance or its Sp, that number is always measured in inches.

To move, measure the distance from the point on an object's base closest to the direction it will move. Move the object that distance in a straight line, ensuring that no part moves farther than that distance. All movement is in a straight line, but unless otherwise specified, the total distance an object is moving may be broken up into multiple smaller segments.

Moving Example 1: Each of two Ice Gamin moves 3". The first Ice Gamin measures and moves straight 3". The second divides the 3" up into three different 1" segments in order to move around a rock. Neither Ice Gamin may move any part of their base more than the 3" they are moving.

It is possible for a model in base contact with another model to move around that model without breaking base contact. In addition to moving, Place effects are considered a type of movement and are treated as moving a model.

Models may not move through enemy models, but may move through friendly models. A model may not end any move with its base overlapping the base of another model, even if the model is able to move through the other model.

While on certain terrain features such as a bridge, or while jumping, models may sometimes ignore other objects which are below or above them. In these cases models ignore objects whose effective Sz is the same or lower than the model's elevation. The model may end moves overlapping the lower object's base, so long as their elevation remains above the Sz plus elevation of the lower object.

Moving Example 2: A model is standing on top of a Ht 3 bridge, at elevation 3. An Ice Gamin on the ground (Sz 1, elevation 0, so Sz + elevation of 1) attempts to walk beneath the bridge. Since the Ice Gamin's Sz + elevation of 1 is lower than the bridge-standing model's elevation of 3, the Ice Gamin may move underneath it. Even though from a top-down view it appears that the Ice Gamin is "moving through" or "overlapping" the other model's base, neither is considered to be occurring in this instance.

Toward and Away: If an object is moving "away from" or "toward" another object, the player controlling the move must choose a single point on each object as reference points. Then move the object in the most direct path so that the two reference points are furthest from or closest to each other as possible (as appropriate).

In both cases, unless the moving object is being moved "directly," it will move around things that would impede its movement (such as terrain with the impassable or severe traits), provided that doing so will get the reference points as close or as far from each other as possible as appropriate.

When resolving a "toward" move, the moving object's reference point cannot be moved further from the other reference point during the move, even if doing so would ultimately bring it closer at the end of the movement.

Similarly, when resolving an "away" move, the moving object's reference point cannot be moved closer to the other reference point during the move, even if doing so would ultimately bring it further away at the end of the movement.

If an object is moved "directly" it must move in a straight line and will stop if it runs into an impassable object.

Toward and Away Example: A model attempting to move toward another model, with a Ht 1 rock in between them, moves around the rock so long as at no point during its move does it move away from the target.

Place

When a model is placed, it is picked up and put down in a specific location as determined by the text of the effect creating the place. The model must be placed in a way so that its base is at least 50% supported by either the table or terrain. If the place effect has a range, measure from the closest point of the base in the desired direction and place the model anywhere within that range. If it cannot fit in that location, it cannot be placed and does not move or count as moving. Unless otherwise specified, place effects ignore LoS.

If a model begins or ends a place effect in terrain, it counts as having moved through that terrain.

Place Examples:

1. A Tengu declares and succeeds the Leap action. It may place itself anywhere within range of the action (which is 6"). The Leap action does not specify that the Tengu must place "completely" within range, so only a single point of the Tengu's base must remain within 6" of where the Tengu started the place. Since this is a place effect, the Tengu ignores a Ht 2 wall and may place itself into a location on the table it does not have LoS to.
2. A Tengu placing itself to avoid a piece of hazardous terrain: if it begins or ends its place inside of that terrain, it is considered to have moved through that terrain.
3. Winston Finnigan attempts to place Sovereign over a Ht 5 wall with the Dirigible Ride action. Neither model has LoS over the wall, but since this is a place effect, LoS is ignored and Winston may place Sovereign into the indicated location, though the two models will no longer have LoS to each other as soon as Sovereign is placed.

Elevation

An object is considered to be at the elevation of the sum of the height of all climbable terrain its base is supported by. Objects at a greater elevation are considered to be higher than objects at a lower elevation, regardless of the size of the two objects. The table is always considered height 0 if not covered by terrain. When determining an object's elevation, ignore all terrain beneath the object that doesn't support that object's base. Terrain that is a fraction of an inch typically has its Ht rounded, as described in the Math section.

When a model at a lower elevation targets a model at a higher elevation, the model at the higher elevation receives cover so long as the difference in elevation between them is 2 or greater. Two models may not target each other with Melee actions if the effective Sz of the lower model is less than the elevation of the higher model. A model's effective Sz is the value of its Sz stat, plus the Ht of any terrain supporting its base.

Elevation Examples:

1. A model beginning its activation supported by the table directly has an elevation of 0. If it climbs onto a Ht 1 box, it rises to elevation 1, and the Ht of the box is added to its Sz when it draws sight lines. If it climbs on top of a stack of three Ht 1 boxes, it is at elevation 3, and its effective Sz increases accordingly.
2. One model standing on top of a Ht 2 box has an effective Sz 2 higher than its base Sz, while a second model standing on the table keeps its base Sz. Even if their effective Sz values end up equal, the model on the box is at a higher elevation and would therefore receive cover from the other's attacks.
3. A model standing on the roof of a house, with a Ht 1 box directly underneath it inside the house (not supporting either the model or the house), does not have its elevation or effective Sz increased by that box.
4. A model with a Melee action of range 1" cannot target a nearby model at elevation 3 while it is itself at elevation 0, if its effective Sz of 2 is lower than the higher model's elevation of 3. The lower model can Walk onto a nearby box to raise its effective Sz to 3, matching the higher model's elevation, allowing the attack — and the higher model still receives cover, since the elevation difference of 2 or more still applies.

Moving Vertically

Climbing Terrain: When resolving a Walk action, a model may move vertically along climbable terrain. To do so, it uses any amount of its movement to move vertically instead of horizontally. If a model moves in this way, it does not fall during this movement so long as it remains in base contact with the terrain. If a model ends a climb without its base at least 50% supported by terrain, it falls. Models may choose to fall while climbing in order to maximize the distance they move.

Ignoring Terrain While Moving: Any models which ignore terrain while moving also ignore that terrain's vertical distance. For example, a model with the Flight ability may climb that terrain without having to use movement traversing that terrain's vertical distance.

Scaling Terrain: After a model resolves the Walk action, if it is in base contact with the edge of climbable terrain it is not standing on, it may choose to scale up that terrain. When a model scales up the side of terrain, it moves straight up vertically until its base reaches the top of the terrain. Then, the model moves horizontally at a right angle to where it made base contact with the terrain, stopping the moment 100% of its base is supported by the terrain. If the model cannot end this move with its base at least 50% supported, it may not scale the terrain, but must attempt to support 100% of its base if able.

Similarly, after a model resolves the Walk action, if it is in base contact with the edge of climbable terrain which it is already on top of, it may choose to scale down the side of that terrain, first moving horizontally at a right angle to the terrain it is on until 0% of its base is supported, then moving vertically down until its base is at least 50% supported by terrain.

Models that choose to scale up or down terrain are not falling.

Falling

If an object ever has less than 50% of its base supported by terrain or the table that object immediately falls until its base is supported. If it is dealt falling damage, the model ends its movement. Otherwise, it continues moving normally.

When an object falls, its base is moved straight down (this does not expend any movement) until it is flat on terrain or the table. When a model causes any model to fall two elevations or more, including itself, it deals 1 irreducible damage to the fallen model at the conclusion of the fall. Models that fall one elevation therefore are dealt no damage. Models that ignore vertical distance while moving are not dealt falling damage.

If a model would end this fall overlapping another model or impassable terrain, it must continue its movement so that it does not end overlapping a model or impassable terrain; if a model does not have enough movement to do so, it is moved to the legal position closest to where its base would have ended the fall. If there are multiple equidistant positions, the model controlling the fall may choose one.

A model may not choose to fall if it would be killed from falling damage while controlled by a friendly effect.

Vertical Movement Examples:

1. A model with Sp 5 climbing onto the top of a Ht 1 wall: it first moves horizontally until its base makes contact with the wall, then moves straight up 1" until its base reaches elevation 1, then uses its remaining movement to move horizontally. Effectively, 1" of its horizontal movement was spent climbing.
2. A model standing on top of a Ht 4 wall is hit by an attack and moved 4" toward the edge of the terrain by a trigger. Once it stops moving, its base is now less than 50% supported by the wall, so it must fall: it moves horizontally so its base is completely off the wall, then vertically until supported by the table. Since it fell more than 2", it is dealt 1 point of irreducible falling damage.
3. A model activating on top of a Ht 2 box that wants to move off the box can choose to move carefully, expending movement to climb down, or choose to fall off the box, dealing falling damage to itself and ending its movement.
4. A model choosing to fall off a Ht 5 wall, where an enemy model already occupies the space where it would normally fall: since models may never end a move overlapping each other, it moves to the legal position closest to where its base would have ended the fall. If there are multiple equidistant legal positions, the model controlling the fall may choose freely among them, but never a position farther away than the nearest legal ones.
5. A model that declares Walk, moves its full Sp, and ends in base contact with a wall may choose to scale the wall, moving vertically and horizontally the minimum distance required to ensure its base is 100% supported by the terrain, even if that moves it farther than its Sp.
6. A model attempting to scale a wall that has a second piece of terrain sitting on top of it cannot scale that section, because it can only scale terrain it is in base contact with and ending the move would place it inside the upper terrain piece (an illegal position). It can instead Walk to a different section of the wall and scale from there.

Jumping

Before a model falls, its controller may decide that the model is jumping. To jump, a model must pick a point on the table or a terrain piece either at the same elevation as itself or up to one inch of elevation below itself and within range of its remaining movement. Then, the model moves horizontally toward that point until its base is above the selected location and at least 50% over terrain that can support it, before moving vertically down until its base is supported.

If there is an intervening terrain piece or other impassable object whose Sz + elevation is greater than the jumping model's elevation, the model is unable to jump.

Models may not end a jump on higher elevation than where they began the jump.

Jumping Examples:

1. A model activating on top of a Ht 3 wall that needs to reach a nearby Ht 2 wall with one Walk action declares Walk, moves 1" so its base is flush with the edge of the terrain, then jumps horizontally to the nearby wall, moving at least enough that its base is 50% supported, all without exceeding its Sp. While jumping, it ignores an enemy model standing between the walls, because that model's Sz is the same as (or lower than) its current elevation. If it were jumping across taller terrain, that model would block its movement and prevent the jump.
2. A model on top of a Ht 3 wall jumping to a nearby Ht 2 wall: it declares Walk, moves until flush with the terrain edge, jumps horizontally, and since its base is unsupported at the end of the jump, moves 1" straight down until supported.
3. A model on top of a Ht 4 wall attempting to jump to a Ht 2 wall it is not within one inch of elevation of has no legal point to jump to, and is therefore unable to jump.

Line of Sight

Line of sight (LoS) is used regularly in the game and is determined using sight lines. It is a representation of something seeing something else on the table. Models always have LoS to themselves and always have LoS to any object or terrain they are in base contact with.

Any effect that requires range to be measured also requires LoS to be drawn, unless it says otherwise. Measuring between Scheme or Strategy markers is an exception to this rule. When instructed to measure between these types of markers as part of a Scheme or Strategy's scoring section, LoS is ignored.

A sight line is an imaginary straight line between two points on the edges of two objects' bases. Sight lines are drawn from a top-down perspective. To determine if one object has LoS to another, draw a series of sight lines from the first object to the second. Sight lines between objects are never drawn in such a way that they cross either object's base. If the objects are on different levels of the same terrain piece, sight lines cannot be drawn through the terrain piece's ceiling or floors.

If at least one of the sight lines between two objects is unblocked, the first object has LoS to the second. If all the sight lines are blocked, the first object does not have LoS to the second. Each object draws its own sight lines independent of the other. As such, LoS is not necessarily reciprocal. This most often occurs when one model may ignore the blocking terrain trait of a marker, while another model cannot (see Markers).

Blocked Line of Sight

In order for a sight line between two objects to be blocked, it must pass through blocking or dense terrain of a large enough height or an enemy model with a big enough size. Sight lines cannot be blocked by models friendly to the model drawing the sight line.

When drawing sight lines between two objects, the following rules apply:

• Any intervening enemy models or terrain with size or height smaller than both of the objects do not block sight lines.
• Any intervening enemy models or terrain with size or height equal to or larger than both objects block sight lines.
• Any intervening enemy models or terrain with size or height smaller than exactly one of the objects block sight lines if any part of the smaller object's base is within 2" of the intervening object.

When drawing sight lines, models with a Sz of 0 (ignoring the Ht of any terrain they are standing on) are treated as higher than any terrain with Ht equal to what they are standing on (the model is still Sz 0). If a model needs to draw LoS to a point on the board or terrain it does so as if that point on the board/terrain were a Sz 0 model.

Dense Terrain: Terrain with the dense trait can block LoS without providing cover. Sight lines that cross over dense terrain completely are blocked, but sight lines that only enter or leave dense terrain are not blocked. Models can see into and out of dense terrain, but they cannot see through it.

Dense Terrain Example: One model is standing in a stationary bank of fog that has been deemed to be concealing and dense terrain, while a second friendly model is hanging further back, outside the fog. A third model tries to draw LoS to both: its sight lines to the model inside the fog enter the fog bank but do not leave it, so they are not blocked — it has LoS to that model (though the fog's concealing terrain trait still grants concealment against attacks). Its sight lines to the model beyond the fog enter the fog bank and then leave it, so those sight lines are blocked by the dense trait; since all its sight lines to that model are blocked, it has no LoS to it.

Drawing Sight Lines Examples:

1. A model declaring an action that requires LoS on a target draws a series of sight lines from the edge of its base to the edge of the target's base. It may start at any point on its own base and end at any point on the target's base, so long as the sight line remains straight, and none of the sight lines can cross over the target's base.
2. If all sight lines between two models are blocked, the first does not have LoS to the second. But as long as there is at least one unblocked sight line, it does have LoS.
3. A Sz 2 model drawing sight lines to a distant target, whose sight line crosses over the bases of several models in between: it ignores a smaller enemy model in its way (its Sz is larger), and it ignores a larger friendly model (friendly models never block). However, it cannot ignore an enemy model of equal Sz — when its sight lines cross that model's base, they become blocked. It therefore has LoS to that equal-Sz model, but not to the model beyond it.
4. If the wall between two models has a height equal to or greater than both models' size, LoS between them is blocked regardless of how close to the wall they are.
5. If the wall between two models has a height smaller than the size of both models, their sight lines are not blocked by it.
6. If a wall's height is smaller than one model's size but equal to the other (smaller) model's size, and part of that smaller model's base is within 2" of the wall, sight lines that pass through the wall to it are blocked. In fact, sight lines through that wall are blocked to any part of the ground within 2" of the wall.
7. If that same smaller model is instead more than 2" from the wall, the sight lines are not blocked.
8. Although it requires perfect positioning, it is possible for an object to be perfectly positioned between two other same-size objects, blocking sight lines between them. This most commonly occurs through the use of the rule of intent.
9. If a model is standing perfectly atop a marker with the same base size (such as a model on a 30mm base standing perfectly atop a 30mm marker), it does not block sight lines drawn to that marker.

Objects on Terrain

If a model is standing on terrain with the height trait, it adds the height of that terrain to its size when drawing sight lines. Similarly, if a terrain piece with height is atop another terrain piece with height (most often because a terrain marker like an Ice Pillar was made atop a building's roof), their heights are added together as described above for the purposes of drawing sight lines.

When drawing a sight line from one object to another, the terrain either model is standing on cannot block sight lines. This rule does not apply if the objects are on different levels of the same terrain piece; sight lines cannot be drawn through the terrain piece's ceiling or floors.

Objects on Terrain Examples:

1. A model standing on top of a Ht 4 wall has its effective Sz increased by 4 for sight-line purposes. A smaller model attempting to draw sight lines to it must pass its sight lines through that same wall. Normally the third bullet of Blocked Line of Sight would apply, since exactly one model is smaller than the intervening terrain. However, since the taller model is standing on that terrain, the wall cannot block sight lines to it — the two models have LoS to each other regardless of how close or far the smaller model is to the wall.
2. It does not matter how much of the wall the sight line passes through, i.e. how far the standing model is from the edge of the wall — the wall cannot block sight lines to a model standing on it. For particularly large terrain pieces, it may make sense to determine that different sections of them count as separate terrain pieces before the game, in order to prevent counter-intuitive situations; if the two halves of such a wall are agreed to be separate terrain pieces, sight lines could then be blocked between them.
3. If a model draws sight lines to another model standing on top of a Ht 4 wall, and there is a second, shorter piece of blocking terrain (say Ht 2) between them, the tall wall the target is standing on still cannot block sight lines to it, but the second Ht 2 wall can. Since the sight-line-drawing model is of equal or lower Sz than that second wall's Ht, any sight lines that pass through it are blocked regardless of the target's size, as long as the drawing model is within 2" of it.

Gameplay

The goal in a game of Malifaux is to score more VP (victory points) than your opponent, which are gained based on the encounter's schemes and strategies. A game of Malifaux takes place over four turns, which are each broken down into multiple phases.

Turn Sequence

• Start Phase: Discard Cards, Draw Cards, Resolve Effects.
• Activation Phase: Pass, Select Model, Activation, Transfer Active Player.
• End Phase: Resolve Effects, Score Strategy, Reveal Schemes, Abandon Schemes, Select New Schemes, Check for End of Game, Shuffle.

Start Phase

The start phase is made up of the four steps outlined below. Once the start phase is finished, proceed to the activation phase.

A. Determine Initiative: On turn 1, the attacker has initiative. On every turn after that, the player who did not activate the last model on the previous turn chooses who gains initiative.

B. Discard Cards: Players may discard any number of cards from their hand.

C. Draw Cards: Players with fewer cards in hand than their maximum hand size (which is normally seven) draw cards until they reach their maximum hand size.

D. Resolve Effects:

1. Used "once per turn" effects become available for use again.
2. Take Command: If a crew has no masters in play, once per game a single henchman in that crew may drain a soulstone to increase its action limit to three until the end of the encounter.
3. Resolve any effects that happen during the start phase, starting with the player with initiative.

Activation Phase

In this phase, each player takes turns as the active player, beginning with the player with initiative. Proceed to the end phase once every model has activated this turn.

A. Pass: If the active player has the same or fewer models that have not activated this turn than their opponent, they may choose to pass and skip to Step D, without activating a model. Players may not pass if their opponent passed the previous activation.

B. Select Model: The active player chooses one of their models that has not yet activated this turn to activate. No model may activate more than once in a turn. If the active player does not have any more models to activate, skip to Step D.

C. Activation: The chosen model activates (it is now the acting model) and follows the steps below.

1. The model is considered to have activated this turn.
2. Start Activation: Resolve any effects that happen when the model activates.
3. Taking Actions: Non-Peon models may declare up to two actions and one signature action during their activation. This is referred to as a model's action limit. These actions are resolved one at a time, with each action fully resolving (including any triggers) before the next action begins. If a model would gain or remove a Fast, Slow, or Stunned token during an activation, the effects of the token come into effect immediately and are ignored as soon as the token is removed.
   • If an encounter's size is 50 Soulstones or higher, all masters treat their action limit as three instead of two.
4. End Activation: Resolve any effects that happen when the model ends its activation.
5. Any used "once per activation" effects become available for use again.
6. Chain Activations: Some effects can cause models to activate after another model. If a model would activate this way, immediately go back to the start of Step C. Players may not activate more than two models in a row this way.

D. Transfer Active Player: If there are still models left to activate this turn, the opponent becomes the active player and starts at Step A. Otherwise, proceed to the end phase.

Passing

During the activation phase, if the active player has fewer models that have not yet activated this turn than all of their opponents (or is tied for the fewest), they may elect to pass. When a player passes, they immediately proceed to Step D: Transfer Active Player without activating any models. A passed activation does not count as an activation for any game effect.

A player may not pass if their opponent passed the previous activation, but may pass their own activation twice in a row if an opponent activated a model in between the passes.

Tracking Activations

Some players may find it easier to count remaining activations by using tokens representing how many times they may pass in a turn. Simply count the difference in number of models at the start of the turn and adjust the "pass token" pool as models are killed or summoned. These tokens are not an actual game effect, but if tracking in this way is easier for you, go for it.

End Phase

A. Resolve Effects: All effects that resolve during the end phase resolve now. If there are multiple effects, follow the detailed timing rules.

B. Score Strategy: Starting with the player with initiative, crews gain victory points (VP) from strategy effects that score at the end of the turn. A crew cannot gain more than 5 total VP from a strategy.

C. Reveal Schemes: Starting with the player with initiative, crews may reveal schemes that score at the end of the turn and gain the VP indicated by the scheme. In order to reveal a scheme in this way, all requirements listed in the Reveal section of the scheme must be met. Any VP gained from the Additional VP section are gained at the same time as any VP gained from the Scoring section.

D. Abandon Schemes: Starting with the player with initiative, crews may show their scheme to their opponent without scoring any VP, and then discard it. This does not count as revealing the scheme.

E. Select New Schemes: Starting with the player with initiative, any crew that revealed or abandoned a scheme this turn selects a new scheme from the list of Next Available Schemes on their current scheme. Then, the crew discards its current scheme and draws the card for its newly selected scheme (if any). Crews that have already gained 6 VP from schemes skip this step.

F. Check for End of Game: If it is turn 4, the game ends at this time.

G. Shuffle Discard Piles: Players shuffle their discard piles back into their fate decks. Players should set aside their control hands so they do not accidentally shuffle their hand back into the deck as well.

H. The turn ends, and play proceeds to the start phase of the next turn.

Abilities

Most abilities are passive, meaning that they are always in effect. Some abilities, however, are active and create certain effects in reaction to other events on the table. When an active ability goes into effect, resolve the effect step by step in the order it is listed on the ability.

Abilities are not cumulative. If a model would be affected by multiple abilities of the same name (i.e., if the ability would change the model's game state in some way), then the model is only affected by one such ability chosen by the player controlling the abilities.

A model cannot gain a second instance of an ability it already possesses.

Non-Cumulative Abilities Example: Three models are in base contact with a target, each with an ability of the same name that reduces the target's Df by 1. Since all three of these abilities are affecting the target, and all three of them have the same name, their controller chooses just one of them to affect it. As such, the target's Df is only lowered by 1, not 3.

Defensive Abilities

Abilities that help a model stay alive are broken up into three categories. The category these abilities belong to is indicated by a symbol to the left of their name:

• Fortitude Ability (u) — e.g. Armor: Once per activation. This model may reduce damage dealt to it by 1.
• Warding Ability (x) — e.g. Aegis: Once per activation. This model may reduce damage dealt to it by 1.
• Unusual Defense Ability (v) — e.g. Threatening Demeanor: Once per activation. This model may reduce damage dealt to it by 1.

All three of these example abilities function the same way, but an action that ignores Fortitude (u) abilities will ignore Armor without ignoring Aegis.

Ability Timing: Most abilities are passive and always in effect, but some occur as a result of another game effect. In these cases, the ability will use the word "After." These abilities happen after the effect in question is resolved.

Actions

Models in Malifaux have a variety of actions they can perform. Every action is defined by:

1. Name: The name of the action. For signature and soulstone-cost actions, see the corresponding sections below.
2. Range (Rg): This is a range in inches, and it is the maximum distance the action can affect. Attack actions have an icon denoting their type.
3. Skill (Skl): Any action that requires a duel will have a skill. This is what the model adds to the card it flips in the duel. It may also have a fate modifier, which impacts the flip for that action, and/or a suit, which is added to the model's duel total.
4. Resist (Rst): If the action causes an opposed duel, this will list which stat the opponent uses to resist the duel.
5. Target Number (TN): If the action requires a target number to be met in order to succeed, it will be listed here. For the action to be successful, the model's duel total must reach this value or higher and must include any suits listed here. TNs on actions may vary between models, just like Skls. If an action has both a Rst and a TN, the model must succeed on both aspects (equal or exceed the target's duel total and the TN value) to be successful. If the action has neither a Rst nor a TN, it succeeds without a duel.
6. Damage (Dmg): If the action deals damage to its target when it succeeds, the amount of damage is listed here. Actions with a Dmg of "-" cannot deal damage, even if another effect would increase their damage such as receiving a raise or the Critical Strike trigger, though any effects that do instance damage, such as the Cut the Cables trigger, would still deal damage.
7. Costs and Restrictions: Some actions may have special requirements, costs, targeting restrictions, and/or additional effects, which are listed in italics before the action's effects.
8. Effects: Any extra effects of the action are listed here. Unless otherwise specified, these effects only occur if the action is successful.

Attack Actions and Tactical Actions

An action with a resist stat is an attack action. Attack actions may not target friendly models, unless they state otherwise or are enemy controlled. A model may never target itself with an attack action.

An action without a resist stat is a tactical action.

Attack Action Types: There are three types of attack actions. Every attack action will have one of these three types and be denoted by that type's symbol:

• Melee (y): May be generated by the Charge action. A Melee action may not target a model on a different elevation than the initiating model if the effective Sz of the lower model is less than the higher model's elevation (see Elevation Examples).
• Missile (z): May not be taken while engaged.
• Magic (q): —

Both Melee and Missile actions deal +1 damage for every raise they receive in a duel.

Signature Actions: Many models have a signature-action symbol to the left of one or more of their actions, identifying that action as their signature action. This symbol is independent from the action itself — two models may both have an action of the same name, but it may be a signature action for one and not the other. Before declaring an action, a model may decide that it is going to use its signature action and choose from any actions it may declare marked with that symbol.

A model may declare one signature action per activation. This may occur at any point during the model's activation, including after it has reached its normal action limit. Models may still use that same action multiple times during an activation (barring "once per" restrictions), but it will count as a signature action only once. If a model has the option to declare multiple actions as their signature action, only one of them may be declared as its signature action that activation.

Signature Action Examples:

• Killjoy activates with an action limit of two. He first declares the Walk action to get within 8" of an enemy model, before declaring the Wyrdwood Chains action as his signature action. The enemy model survives the attack, so he uses his second action to declare Wyrdwood Chains a second time.
• Killjoy activates with an action limit of two. He first declares the Walk action, then declares the Wyrdwood Chains action. Killjoy has reached his action limit of two, but has not yet used a signature action. He declares Wyrdwood Chains a second time as his signature action to finish off the enemy model. Afterward, Killjoy wants to use Eerie Gate to hide behind a nearby wall, but has already declared two actions and a signature action, so he must end his activation in the open.

Soulstone Actions: Some actions have one or more soulstone symbols to the left of their name, identifying them as soulstone actions. Soulstone actions require the number of soulstones indicated to be drained from the controlling crew's soulstone pool as a cost when the action is declared. The soulstone symbol is tied to the action itself — all instances of a given action that carries this symbol will require the same cost to be drained.

General Actions

The actions listed below are tactical actions all models in the game may declare. They are not considered printed on any model's stat card.

• Interact (Rg 1"): Cannot be declared while engaged or if this model used the Walk action to leave engagement this activation. This action cannot target markers in base contact with a non-peon enemy model. Do one of the following: (1) Make a Scheme marker anywhere within range; (2) Remove one Scheme marker within range; (3) Resolve a specific rule that refers to an Interact action.
• Walk: This model moves up to its speed (Sp) and may climb and/or scale terrain. This may incur penalties if it is engaged.
• Charge: Once per activation. Cannot be declared while engaged. Move this model up to its Sp in a straight line. It may then declare a Melee action that does not count against its action limit.
• Slam (Rg 1"): Target a non-Scheme marker or any one destructible terrain piece within range. Remove the target from play.
• Prepare: Give this model an Adaptable, Focused, or Shielded token.

Resolving Actions

When resolving an action, a model proceeds through the steps below in order:

• A. Declare the Action
• B. Perform Duels
• C. Apply Results
• D. After Resolving

A model is considered to be resolving an action during every part of the "Resolving Actions" process. For instance, if a model was in hazardous terrain during any part of the "Resolving Actions" process, the effects of the hazardous terrain are applied to the model after the action resolves.

Step A: Declare the Action.

1. Announce what action the model is taking. Some actions have special restrictions. If these restrictions aren't met, the action cannot be declared.
2. Select an object within range to be the target of the action. Unless specified by the action, every action with a target must target a single model and cannot target other objects, like markers. Objects that do not meet all targeting restrictions of the action cannot be selected. If the action does not require a target, skip this step.
3. Check to make sure the model declaring the action has LoS to the target. If it does not, the action cannot be declared.
4. Determine if the target has cover or concealment.
5. If the action has any costs in italics, they must be paid now. If the costs are not paid, the action cannot be declared.
6. If the action has any soulstone symbols to the left of its name, an equivalent amount of soulstones must be drained or the action cannot be declared.
7. The action is now considered to be declared. Resolve any effects that occur when or after an action is declared.
8. Any effects that occur "When this model targets / Is targeted" occur now.
9. If the action asks the model to choose one or more objects in its italics section, this occurs now. Choosing an object does not count as targeting an object.

Actions that cannot be declared do not count as failed actions and do not count against a model's action limit.

Step B: Perform Duels. If the action requires a duel, the model now performs the duel. If the initiating model does not succeed on the duel, the action fails and Step C of resolving an action is not performed. Some actions have additional effects that affect an action's duel (such as granting a + if the target is in severe terrain). These effects are listed next to the action in italics. If no duel was required, then the action is automatically successful.

Step C: Apply Results. The model first performs any remaining portion of the action's text not listed in italics except for those which reference "models damaged," which occur during Step 5 of Damage Timing. Any effects from other sources (such as abilities or When Resolving triggers) occur now. Perform as much of the effects of the action, in the order they are written, as possible. Ignore any effects that are not possible.

Once these effects have been resolved, the model deals the amount of damage listed in the action's Dmg section to the target. See Damage for how to calculate the amount of damage dealt to a model.

Step D: After Resolving.

1. Any "After failing" effects occur.
2. Any "After succeeding" effects occur.
3. Any other effects that happen after an action is resolved, including any after resolving triggers, happen now except for hazardous effects.
4. Hazardous effects occur.

Triggers

A trigger is an additional outcome of an action and is usually optional. In order to declare a trigger, a model must have one or more specific suits in its final duel total (as noted before the trigger's name) unless it is a soulstone trigger. Only one trigger may be declared per duel per model.

Triggers are tied to specific actions and can only be used with that action. They are found below an action's effect and are subject to all game effects that affect the action (such as the Armor ability). An example of a trigger: Surge: Draw a card.

Trigger Timing

All triggers have a timing structure written in the trigger itself:

• Immediately: These triggers resolve in the Declare Triggers step. They often modify the duel itself in some way.
• When resolving: These triggers resolve with the action's effects. These triggers, depending on effect, may modify the effects of the action as listed or add a new effect, so they only occur if the action was successful. Any new effects are resolved last, unless the trigger specifies otherwise.
• After killing: These triggers happen after killing the target of the action, as part of resolving damage timing.
• After resolving: These triggers happen after the action is complete, regardless of success or failure, but only if the model that declared the trigger is still in play.
• After failing: These triggers happen after the action is complete, but only if the model declaring the trigger was not successful in the duel and is still in play.
• After succeeding: These triggers happen after the action is complete, but only if the model declaring the trigger was successful in the duel and is still in play.

If a trigger does not list a timing, it is treated as an after succeeding trigger. If a trigger has a target and that target is no longer in play, the trigger has no effect.

Additional Actions

Many game effects can generate new actions (such as the Onslaught trigger). These new actions are called "additional actions" and do not count against a model's action limit. Additional actions may declare triggers, but cannot themselves generate new additional actions. If they would, any subsequently generated additional action is ignored; resolve as much of the rest of the effect as possible.

The one exception to this rule is the Charge action. The Charge action and actions generated by the Charge action may generate new additional actions.

If an action or trigger generates a new action, that action is independent from the action that generated it. The trigger takes effect per its timing structure, but the model that will resolve the new action cannot do so (i.e., declare the action) until all other effects have been resolved.

Additional Action Example: Marcus, Alpha declares the Charge action, then declares his Ferocious Claws action as a generated action targeting an enemy model. This Ferocious Claws succeeds, with the Pouncing Strike trigger, allowing Marcus to declare a second Ferocious Claws. This attack also succeeds, once again with a Mask in its final duel total. Since this second Ferocious Claws is an additional action that was not generated by the Charge action, it cannot generate another additional action. Marcus can however still declare the Pouncing Strike trigger. He performs as much of the trigger as he can without generating the additional action. In this case, that means he places in base contact with an enemy model within 5".

Killing as a Cost

Some actions and triggers kill a model as a cost. If a model is killed as a cost to declare an action or trigger, the killed model is not removed from the table until after the action is resolved. This is because many such actions and triggers will require ranges to be drawn from the killed model.

Restrictions and Costs

Some actions or triggers have text written in italics at the start of their effects. This italics text contains various special information about the action, such as special restrictions, targeting restrictions, or costs.

Special Restrictions

Special restrictions are restrictions that limit an effect to only being declared in specific circumstances such as "once per" effects or more complicated restrictions like "This action cannot be taken while within 1" of blocking terrain."

"Once Per" Effects: Many powerful effects in Malifaux have a limited number of uses within a set time frame. Several common "once per" restrictions are listed here:

• Once per activation: Actions or abilities restricted to once per activation can only be used once each activation. Used once per activation effects become available for use again during Step C-4 of the activation phase. Once per activation effects may be used once each start phase and once each end phase. Upon progressing to the next phase, they become available for use again.
• Once per turn: Actions or abilities restricted to once per turn can only be used once each turn. Used once per turn effects become available for use again during Step D-1 of the start phase.
• Once per game: Actions or abilities restricted to once per game can only be used once each encounter.

"Once per" restrictions are limited on both a per model and per effect basis. This means a given model could, for example, declare multiple once-per-activation actions so long as they were different actions. This also means multiple models that have the same effect with a once-per-activation restriction, such as the Charge action, can each use that effect once per activation.

Some "once per" effects have additional modifiers, such as being restricted to targeting a specific model once per activation. These work the same way, adding on the specific restrictions mentioned.

Targeting Restrictions

Targeting restrictions are those that limit what objects an action, trigger, or other game effect can affect. If a trigger has a targeting restriction, then it cannot be declared if the target of the action does not meet the trigger's targeting restriction.

Common targeting restrictions:

• Enemy: Must target an enemy model.
• Ally/Allied/Allies: Must target an allied model.
• Friendly: Must target a friendly model.
• X only: Must target a model that meets X criteria, typically a listed characteristic, keyword, or name.
• Another/Other: Must target a model other than the one declaring this action.
• Different: Must target a model other than the current target of the action.
• X Marker: Must target an X marker.
• Non-Leader: Cannot target leaders of either crew, nor can it target any model with the master characteristic.
• Unique: Must target a unique model.
• Non-Unique: Must target a non-unique model.

"This Model," "Another Model," and "A Different Model": While many words used in Malifaux simply make use of their general English definition, these three words differ significantly from their common usage.

• This model: If an effect references "this model," it refers to the model which generated the effect in which the text was written. In the case of tokens, "this model" refers to the model on which the token has been applied. Example: If a master succeeds an action targeting another model and declares a trigger written on "this model," it is the acting master who resolves the trigger's effect, not the target of the action.
• Another model: If an effect references "another X," the effect must apply to an object other than the object which generated the effect. Example: An action using the word "another" to move a friendly beast within range could target any qualifying friendly beast, including the action's own target, but excluding the model that declared the action.
• A different model: If an effect references "a different X," the effect must apply to an object other than the object which was most recently affected by it. Example: A trigger using the word "different" after an action already targeted one model could target any model, including the model that declared the action, but excluding the model the action already targeted.

Costs

Some game effects have a cost that is listed in italics after their name. These costs must be paid or the effect cannot be declared and no portion of the effect may be resolved. Soulstone actions must drain a number of soulstones from the controlling crew's soulstone pool as a cost, or the action cannot be declared.

If a cost requires a model to deal damage to itself, that cost cannot be paid if doing so would reduce its health to 0 or below.

Damage

Damage is most often done to models from an attack action. Attack actions which deal damage list the amount of damage they deal in their Damage (Dmg) value.

When a model suffers damage, it loses health equal to the amount of damage it suffered. A model may not have its health reduced below 0. If it would suffer damage that would bring its health below 0, any additional damage is ignored. When a model reaches 0 health, it is killed.

Models that suffer 0 damage are not considered to have suffered any damage. Effects that reduce damage, such as the Armor ability, reduce damage to a minimum of 1 unless otherwise stated.

Increasing Damage

There are two ways an action might increase the amount of damage it deals: additive and instance.

Additive Damage: If the effect increasing damage uses a + sign, the Dmg stat of the action is increased by an equivalent amount. This increase in Dmg is temporary, and is removed after the action is resolved. Additive damage cannot be used to increase the damage of an action if it has no Dmg value (i.e. a "-" symbol).

Example: The Critical Strike trigger says, "When resolving, this action deals +1 damage to the target." Since the effect uses a + sign, declaring Critical Strike on an action with Dmg 3 increases it to Dmg 4, so the target is dealt 4 damage.

Instance Damage: If the effect does not use a + sign, the effect is a separate instance of damage that occurs independent of the action's Dmg.

Example: If instead an action's trigger deals damage without a + sign, the base action deals its normal damage first. After the action completes all of the damage timing steps, the trigger deals damage to the target a second time, beginning back at Step 1 of Damage Timing.

Damage Timing

When a model is dealt damage, follow the steps below:

1. The initiator (if any) temporarily increases the Dmg stat of her attack by +1 for every raise she received. Magic actions do not have their Dmg stat increased in this way.
2. Increase the Dmg stat of the action based on any other additive damage sources.
3. Anything that happens when a model is "dealt damage" occurs now, including damage reduction abilities, cover, and damage reduction from a tied final duel total. If a model has multiple effects that reduce damage dealt and the order they are applied matters, see Simultaneous Effects.
4. The model suffers any remaining damage and lowers its health by an amount equal to the final damage amount.
5. Any effects that happen after a model is damaged or after a model is reduced to a specific health, resolve at this point.
6. If a model is at 0 health, it is killed. Follow the timing chart for killed models.

If any model is dealt damage as a result of an effect generated during this timing structure, the damage timing for that model is resolved after completely resolving all six steps of the initial damage timing, in the order in which the damage was generated. If multiple models suffer damage at the same time, resolve the damage timing of each model completely one at a time.

Damage Example: A model (Willie) is within 2" of two enemy models, and all three have 1 health remaining.

• Willie suffers 2 damage and is killed. As a result, his Demise (Explosive) ability takes effect, dealing 2 damage to both nearby enemy models — but Willie must finish resolving his own damage first. Willie's owner infuses a soulstone, makes a Remains marker, and then removes Willie from the game.
• Since the two enemy models were both dealt damage by Demise (Explosive) simultaneously, their owner chooses which one resolves their damage first. The first is dealt 2 damage, reduced to 1 by armor, lowering its health from 1 to 0. Since it is killed, its own Demise (Explosive) ability takes effect, dealing 2 damage to the second enemy model — but the first model must finish resolving its own damage before that. It infuses a soulstone, makes a Remains marker, and is removed from the game.
• The second model still has two damage effects to resolve, so it starts back at Step 1 of damage timing. These effects were not simultaneous, so it must resolve the damage from Willie's Demise (Explosive) ability first. Its Kinetic Amplifier ability takes effect at Step 3, which it uses by draining a soulstone it infused earlier — this reduces the damage from Willie's Demise (Explosive) to 0, and lets it move 2" away.
• This would have put it out of range of the first model's Demise (Explosive) ability, but the damage has already been dealt. It must now resolve that damage, which is reduced to 1 by armor but is still enough to lower its health to 0, killing it as well. However, in this case the friendly model that exploded second receives kill credit, not the original enemy attacker.

Dealt vs. Suffers: The term "dealt" refers to the amount of incoming damage a model receives before any reductions are made to it (i.e. before Step 3). The term "suffers" refers to the amount the model's health was actually lowered by the incoming damage (i.e. Step 4).

Irreducible Damage: Irreducible damage ignores damage reduction from all game effects.

Killed Timing Chart

Models are most often killed as a result of being reduced to 0 health, but some game effects can instantly kill models regardless of their health. When a model is killed, follow the steps below:

1. Resolve any effects that happen "when this model is killed."
2. If the killed model is healed above 0 health, it is no longer killed.
3. Resolve any after killing triggers.
4. Any effects that resolve after the model is killed resolve at this point.
5. The owner of the killed model infuses a soulstone.
6. Make a Remains marker within 1" of the killed model.
7. The killed model (its model, stat card, and any attached upgrades) is removed from the game.

There are some game effects that can heal a model after it has been killed. If a model is healed after it was killed as a result of being reduced to 0 health, it no longer counts as killed (and is not removed from the game). Any other effects that would happen as a result of the model being killed do not occur.

If a model was healed after being killed by a game effect (as opposed to being reduced to 0 health), then being healed does not prevent it from being killed.

Killed by a Game Effect Example: An attacker succeeds an attack with an instant-kill trigger against a model with 1 health remaining. The target suffers 3 damage, lowers its health to 0, and is killed. This activates its Demise (Regrowth) ability, placing it in base contact with an Underbrush marker and healing it back up — this saves it from the damage of the attack itself, but not the instant-kill trigger. If its owner has no cards or soulstones remaining to prevent that, it is killed anyway: its owner infuses a soulstone, makes a Remains marker near the Underbrush marker, and removes it from the game.

Who Killed Whom

Sometimes it matters which model killed another model. Kill credit is assigned in the following order. If more than one criterion applies to a killed model, such as an action resolving the effect of a token, higher criteria apply before lower criteria:

1. If the model was killed by the text of an action, the action's Dmg value, or the action's trigger, the model that declared the action receives kill credit. (In the case of an enemy-controlled model, the crew controlling the model receives kill credit, but not the enemy model controlling the action.)
2. If the model was killed by the effects of an ability, the model with the ability receives kill credit.
3. If the model was killed as the result of a token's effect (such as an Aura (Hazardous) token) then the crew friendly to the token is considered to have killed the model, but no individual model receives kill credit.
4. If none of the above apply, the acting model is considered to have gotten the kill (such as when one model forces another model to fall).
5. If there is no acting model and no other criteria are met, no model or crew is considered to have gotten the kill.

Markers and Killed Models

After a model is killed but before it is removed, it makes a friendly 30mm Remains marker anywhere within 1". If the marker cannot be legally made, the marker is not made. Peons do not make Remains markers when they are killed.

Healing

When a model heals, it gains an amount of health equal to the healing effect. Some abilities or game effects may occur as a result of a model healing. If any effects are generated during this timing structure, that effect is resolved after completely resolving all steps of the heal timing, in the order in which the effect was generated. If multiple models heal at the same time, resolve the heal timing of each model completely one at a time.

Models that heal 0 health are not considered to have been healed.

1. Determine the amount to be healed.
2. Resolve "When Heal" effects – Resolve any effects that would happen when a model heals. If this would cause the model to no longer be healed or the amount healed is reduced to 0, skip any remaining steps of this timing structure.
3. Check Maximum Health – If the model is at its maximum health, it cannot be healed and the heal effect fails, skipping steps 4-5 of this timing structure.
4. Increase the model's health – The model increases its health by an amount equal to the final heal amount. If this would increase a model's health above its maximum health, any additional healing is ignored.
5. After Heal – Resolve any effects that would happen after a model heals.
6. Excess Healing Effect – If an effect would occur as a result of a model healing in excess of its maximum health, that effect resolves now.

Friendly and Enemy

Friendly models, markers, tokens, and terrain are those that have been hired into your crew, and those summoned, made, or generated by your crew. Enemy models, markers, tokens and terrain are those that have been hired into the opponent's crew, and those summoned, made, or generated by the opponent's crew.

Every ability, action, and trigger on a model's stat card and attached upgrades treats the use of "friendly" and "enemy" from its own point of view.

Tokens are friendly to the crew that applied them. When a token references effects it has on friendly models, it is referring to models in the crew that applied it, and when it references effects it has on enemy models, it is referring to models in any other crew(s), regardless of what model the token is applied to.

Friendly and Enemy Example: A model applies an enemy Aura (Concealment) token to itself and to a friendly ally. Aura (Concealment) tokens make enemy models treat the area within 2" of the model that has the token as concealing terrain. Which model has the token applied to it is irrelevant: models enemy to the crew that applied the token will treat that area as concealing, even when the token happens to sit on a model that is friendly to the attacker. However, if a different crew member instead applies a friendly Aura (Concealment) token to that same ally, it replaces the enemy token with a friendly one — and that friendly token no longer affects the enemy crew's own models.

Allied Models: One model is considered an ally to another model if both models are friendly to each other and share at least one keyword. A model is considered allied with itself.

Control

Certain actions and abilities allow one model to control actions declared by another model (even one in an enemy crew). These actions and abilities come with certain restrictions:

• Leaders and master models may not be controlled by another model.
• Any effect which lists a model by name or kills a model as a cost cannot be chosen or controlled by enemy models.
• The action may not cause any of the following to happen. If one of these effects would be caused, ignore it and resolve as much of the rest of the action as possible: summon a model; replace a model; attach an upgrade; make special terrain; increase or reduce the level of a power bar.

When controlling an enemy model, the controlling player makes all decisions for the model, including flipping cards, cheating fate, declaring actions, whether to spend the controlled model's tokens, and so on. If the controlled model cheats fate, the controlling player must do so from their own control hand. If the controlled model drains a soulstone, discards a card, or uses another resource, the controlling player must discard the appropriate card, token, etc. If the controlled model would gain a resource (cards, soulstone, etc.), the controlling player gains that resource. If a controlled action generates additional actions, the controlling player controls the generated action, as well.

However, if a model is ever resisting an opposed duel, the model is always controlled by its owner. Regardless of control, the model does not change which models it considers friendly and which it considers an enemy. Control changes who makes the decisions; it does not change the crew to which the model belongs.

Friendly / Enemy-Controlled

A model is friendly-controlled if it is currently controlled by its own crew, owner, or a model in its crew. A model is enemy-controlled if it is currently controlled by an enemy crew, player, or model. Enemy-controlled models may target models they consider friendly with attack actions.

Copied Actions

Some game effects may allow one model to declare an action printed on another model's card. If a game effect ever allows a model to declare an action listed on any other model's card (regardless of crew) or an enemy crew card, remember that the copied action retains all of its qualities including the signature icon, Skl, TN, and triggers, even those that can vary by model.

Copied actions may not summon models, attach upgrades, or cause a model to replace.

Engagement

Models within 1" of an enemy model are considered to be engaged unless the effective Sz of the lower model is less than the higher model's elevation (see Elevation Examples).

Being engaged has the following effects:

• Engaged models cannot declare Missile actions.
• Engaged models cannot declare the Interact action.
• When an engaged model declares the Walk action: it reduces its Sp to half, rounded down, while resolving that action; and if it leaves engagement it cannot declare the Interact action until the end of the current activation.
• Engaged models cannot declare the Charge action.

Soulstones

Some models have the ability to use powerful resources called soulstones, which are stored in the crew's shared soulstone pool, an area beside the game table. Crews may start the game with a soulstone pool using soulstones they did not spend during hiring. At the start of the game, a crew's maximum soulstone pool is 6, although a crew may go above this during the game.

Infusing Soulstones

Some game effects will cause your crew to gain soulstones. This is called infusing a soulstone. When your crew infuses a soulstone, simply add one to its pool. After a model is killed its owner infuses one soulstone. Certain models, such as peons, do not infuse a soulstone when killed. A soulstone icon has been added to the health bar of most models to help remind players which models infuse stones on death, and which do not.

Draining Soulstones

As long as there are soulstones in a crew's soulstone pool, models in that crew may spend them for various bonuses. This is called draining a soulstone. When a soulstone is drained, it is removed from that player's soulstone pool and cannot be used again. A model can only drain one soulstone at a time for any game effect, unless noted otherwise.

Soulstones are generally used to pay the cost of an action, trigger, or ability. If an action requires a soulstone to be drained in order to take it, it will have one or more soulstone symbols at the start of its name. In order to declare the action, the model must first drain a number of soulstones equal to the number of symbols shown during Step A-2 of the Resolving Actions sequence.

Example: To declare a two-soulstone action, its controller must drain two soulstones.

Soulstone Triggers

If a trigger requires a soulstone to use, it will have one or more soulstone symbols instead of a suit. In order to declare this trigger, the model must drain one soulstone per symbol. Soulstone triggers may be declared regardless of what suits are in the model's final duel total. These triggers otherwise follow all other timing and rules for normal triggers.

Example: To declare a one-soulstone trigger, a model must drain one soulstone, and may choose to do so during the Declare Triggers step of its duel, though if it fails the duel an After Succeeding trigger of this kind will have no effect.

Station

A model's station is a special characteristic that comes with some special rules. Most models have one of three stations, listed below:

Master:

• If a crew contains a master, it must be the crew's leader.
• Master models automatically add their listed crew card to their crew.
• Master models automatically add their listed totem to their crew.
• Master models may not be controlled by another model.
• In an encounter of 50 soulstones or more, master models have an action limit of three.

Minion (X): Minions list a number after their station: this is their model limit, the maximum number of copies of that minion one crew may contain at any one time.

Peon (X): Peons list a number after their station. This is their model limit, the maximum number of copies of that peon one crew may contain at any one time.

• Peons may not drain soulstones.
• Peons have an action limit of one.
• Enemy models may move through peons.
• Peons are never considered engaged and cannot engage enemy models.
• Peons cannot declare the Interact action and are ignored for strategies and schemes.
• Peons in base contact with markers do not prevent the Interact action from targeting that marker.
• When a peon is summoned, it does not automatically gain a Summoned or Slow token.
• Peons do not make Remains markers or infuse soulstones when they are killed.
• Peons may not attach upgrades.

The Henchman Characteristic: Henchmen are models with a leadership role within a crew. If a crew has no models with the master station in play, during the start phase one henchman may take control by draining a soulstone to increase its action limit to three until the end of the encounter. Only one henchman per crew may take control per game.

The Unique Characteristic: Models with the unique characteristic are models which a crew can only have a single copy of in play at one time. Non-unique models are models which have a model limit greater than 1, meaning you can have multiple copies of these models.

The Versatile Characteristic: Models with the versatile characteristic may be hired by any crew in their faction. Unless otherwise stated, they do not gain the keyword of the crew they are hired into and therefore do not count as allies, but they also do not count towards a crew's maximum allotment of models that do not share a keyword with the crew's leader and do not have their cost increased.

Model Limits: A model limit is the maximum number of copies of a single model that a crew can contain at any one time. Crews may not hire more copies of a model than its model limit. If a summon effect would add a model that would take that crew over that model's model limit, the model is simply not added to the game. If a replace effect would add a model that would take a player over this limit, the model is killed in Step 1 of the replace timing chart. Models with no listed model limit have a model limit of 1.

Markers

Markers are put onto the table during an encounter to represent objectives or other game events based on the marker's description. A marker's default base size is 30mm and its default Ht is 0", unless otherwise noted in the marker's description. All markers have the following common rules:

• Unless otherwise noted, markers do not count as terrain and have no vertical distance (i.e., height or size). Markers that count as terrain will have one or more terrain traits (such as a concealing, severe Dust Cloud marker).
• If terrain would be made or moved on top of a marker, the marker is put on top of the terrain without changing the marker's position on the table's horizontal surface (the marker moves vertically upward). Markers may fall just like a model.
• Models can usually move through and overlap markers. A marker is ignored for movement purposes unless it possesses one or more terrain traits that would affect movement (such as impassable, severe, etc.).
• Markers cannot be moved from their position on the table or removed unless an effect states otherwise.
• Models may choose to be unaffected by the terrain traits of non-Strategy markers friendly to them, except for the Ht trait. Models may ignore the special effects of non-Strategy markers friendly to them.
• Markers do not block LoS unless they have the blocking terrain trait.
• When drawing LoS to a marker, the marker is treated as a model with size equal to its height.
• Markers cannot be targeted by the Interact action while they are in base contact with an enemy model.

Making Markers

When a marker is made, it is put on the table in the indicated location. This is not considered moving the marker. A marker is friendly to the crew controlling the effect that made it and enemy to all other crews. Made markers must follow the rules below:

• Made markers may not overlap impassable terrain.
• Made markers may not overlap models.
• Markers must be made with at least 50% of their base supported.

If an effect makes a marker and there is no legal position to make it, the marker is not made.

A crew may not have more than five of a friendly non-Strategy marker of any single type in play. If a crew already has five non-Strategy markers of one type in play and it would make another, the player controlling the effect must first choose one marker of that type to remove from play.

Scheme Markers

Scheme markers are primarily made or removed with the Interact action.

Scheme markers do not do anything on their own but are often used in conjunction with the abilities and actions of various models. They are also used to gain victory points, most often from certain Schemes.

Remains Markers

Remains markers are Ht 0 markers that are made by a model when it is killed.

Strategy Markers

Strategy markers are often put on the table by the strategy or the players throughout the game. Unless otherwise noted by the strategy, strategy markers are neutral (neither friendly nor enemy) to all crews. Strategy markers ignore and are ignored by the abilities, actions, triggers, etc. of models, except by those effects which specifically call out Strategy markers. Models may move through, but not end a move overlapping, Strategy markers (unless otherwise noted in the strategy).

Strategy markers, along with all other marker types, cannot be targeted by the Interact action if there is an enemy model in base contact with the Strategy marker.

When a Strategy marker is moved, it may overlap non-impassable terrain and markers, but not models. If a Strategy marker's base is less than 50% supported, it falls just like a model would (but is not dealt falling damage).

During Encounter Setup, if a Strategy marker would be initially made by a strategy and cannot be made in the indicated location, the player making the marker (or attacker if it is neither player) must instead make the Strategy marker as close as possible to the indicated position and in a way so that both players agree that it has no additional beneficial effects for either player. If the marker cannot be made in such a way, terrain will need to be moved before the game starts.

If Strategy markers are made by players during Encounter Setup, they may not be made in a way that would prevent the remaining markers from being made.

Tokens

Tokens are ongoing effects that models may gain during the game. A model can only have one instance of each type of token at a time. If a model already has a token and would gain a token of the same name and from the same crew, it does not gain the token. If it gains the same token but applied by a different crew, it first removes its current version of the token.

Some tokens have a name and then an effect in parentheses such as Aura (Concealment) and Aura (Hazardous). These tokens are considered to have the same name. This means that if a model has an Aura (Concealment) token and it would gain an Aura (Hazardous) token, it must first remove its Aura (Concealment) token.

Note that tokens are always friendly to the crew that controlled their application and enemy to all other crews. If a token references friendly or enemy models in its effects, it is referring to models friendly or enemy to the token itself, not the model it is applied to. When a token's effects reference "this model" they are referring to the model the token is currently applied to. If a token would be applied by a truly neutral effect, for example a hazardous (Burning) lava pool terrain piece deployed during Encounter Setup, give the affected model an enemy token.

Some tokens note that they are "canceled" by another token. When this happens, the new token is gained and then both tokens are immediately removed. For example, if a model has a Fast token and it gains a Slow token, it first gains a Slow token, then removes both tokens.

Some game effects cause models to be dealt damage from a token. Damage dealt this way is affected by any effects referring to the token.

In their effects, tokens state when they are removed. If a token does not state when it is removed, it will stay on the model for the remainder of the game unless it is removed by another effect. Tokens with an effect that occurs during the end phase that are gained during the end phase do not resolve that effect, until the next end phase where they will resolve as normal.

Although all tokens represent an ongoing status effect, not all effects from tokens consistently affect a model. Burning tokens, for example typically only have an effect on a model during the end phase, when they deal damage to that model. When the effect of a token occurs on a model, that token is said to resolve. Whenever a token resolves, whether that is during the end phase, the result of a player decision, the result of a model's action, etc., perform all portions of the token, unless otherwise stated. This will often result in the token removing itself from the model, as is the case with Burning tokens.

On its reference side, the crew card will list the effects of every token the models in that keyword can apply. There are also some basic tokens that are applied by things such as versatile models, which are listed below.

Basic Malifaux Tokens

• Adaptable: Before performing a duel, this model may remove this token to add a suit of its choice to its duel total.
• Adversary: Friendly models receive a + to attack actions targeting this model. During the end phase, remove this token.
• Aura (Concealment): The area within 2" of this model is concealing terrain. Friendly models may choose to be unaffected by this terrain. During the end phase, remove this token.
• Aura (Hazardous): The area within 2" of this model is hazardous terrain. Friendly models may choose to be unaffected by this terrain. During the end phase, remove this token.
• Bolstered: This model receives +1 to its Df and Wp. During the end phase, remove this token. Canceled by Injured.
• Burning: During the end phase deal 1 damage to this model and enemy models in base contact with it. Then remove this token.
• Craven: This model cannot declare the Interact action and is ignored for strategies and schemes. When this model ends its activation, remove this token.
• Distracted: When this model targets a friendly model, it must remove this token and suffer a − to that action's duel. Canceled by Focused.
• Entranced: This model's actions that target a friendly model cannot be cheated. After this model resolves an action targeting a friendly model, remove this token.
• Fast: Increase this model's action limit by 1 (to a maximum of 3). When this model ends its activation, remove this token. Canceled by Slow.
• Focused: Before performing a duel, this model may remove this token to receive a + to the duel. Canceled by Distracted.
• Hastened: This model receives +2 Sp. When this model ends its activation, remove this token. Canceled by Staggered.
• Impact: When this model succeeds in an attack action that deals damage, it must remove this token to deal +1 damage.
• Injured: This model suffers -1 to its Df and Wp. During the end phase, remove this token. Canceled by Bolstered.
• Insight: Before performing a duel, this model may remove this token to look at the top card of its fate deck and may discard it.
• Poison: During the end phase deal 1 irreducible damage to this model.
• Shielded: When this model is dealt non-irreducible damage, it must remove this token to reduce that damage by 1. This token may reduce damage to 0.
• Slow: Reduce this model's action limit by 1 (to a minimum of 1). When this model ends its activation, remove this token. Canceled by Fast.
• Staggered: This model suffers -2 Sp and cannot be moved by other enemy models. When this model ends its activation, remove this token. Canceled by Hastened.
• Stunned: This model cannot declare triggers and it counts all signature-action symbols on its card as blank. When this model ends its activation, remove this token.
• Summon: This model cannot declare the Interact action. This model does not infuse a soulstone for its crew when it is killed. This token cannot be removed.

Math

Sometimes the game will require you to do some math. If you need to, the math should be applied in the following order: Multiply, Divide, Add, and then Subtract.

In most cases where you are dividing any number, you will need to round any fractions. In these cases, always round the sum up to the nearest whole number (unless otherwise stated).

Some exceptions to this rounding rule are:

• Dividing movement distance, which is not rounded.
• Determining if a model is at half (or more/less) of a value (such as maximum health), which is not rounded.

The "X" Variable

Some effects within Malifaux refer to X, a variable within the game that changes depending on the situation in which it is used. If an effect ever refers to X, it will be determined by the effect itself within its text such as defining the Dmg of an action. X is always consistent throughout any single effect and once defined cannot change. After resolving an effect with X, the X variable reverts back to undefined until another effect defines it again.

Replace

Some game effects replace one or more models with other models. When this occurs, follow the steps below.

1. Place each new model into base contact with any of the original models. Any new models that cannot be placed or cannot be added due to model limits are killed. If no new models can be placed, the original model is killed. Skip the remaining steps of this timing chart.
2. Each new model's health is set to the total health of all original models combined or to the new model's maximum health, whichever is lower. If the replace effect heals any new models, those new models heal at this point.
3. If any original model(s) had any tokens, one new model gains those tokens. If any original model has any attached upgrades, attach them to the new model, ignoring limitations.
4. If the new and original models belong to the same crew, one new model becomes the target of any effects that targeted or chose any original models, such as Schemes, leader designation, or lasting game effects. That new model is always considered a legal target for those effects.
5. Remove all original models from the game. If the new and original models do not belong to the same crew, all original models are considered to be killed, ignoring Demise abilities. No game effects (such as making markers or scoring points) occur from the original model being removed.
6. If any new model is at 0 health, it is killed. If any original model(s) had activated, all new models are treated as having activated; otherwise, new models are considered not to have activated. If this replace occurred during the original model's activation, one new model continues that activation using any remaining actions. If a model is affected by multiple replace effects at the same time, its controller chooses one replace effect to resolve and ignores the rest.

Summoning

Some actions and abilities can summon a model. Summoning places a brand new model (specified by the summoning effect) into play, adding the model to a player's existing crew. Summoned models are not hired at the start of an encounter.

Summoned models are placed into base contact and within LoS of the model whose action or ability summoned them unless the effect states otherwise. If it is not possible to place a summoned model legally, the summoned model is not added to the game. The summoned model is considered a part of the crew of the model that summoned it and is treated as a normal model in the crew for the rest of the game.

After the summoned model is placed it gains a Summon token and a Slow token.

Summon TNs: Some actions require the summoning model to meet a summon target number (STN). These types of actions will list a "*" in their TN. When an action has an STN, do the following:

1. The active model performs a simple duel.
2. Select a model which the action is able to summon and that has an STN equal to or lower than the final duel total. If no such model is available to summon, the action fails.
3. Summon the selected model in the designated position.

Adding New Models During the Encounter and Model Limits: Players cannot use summon or replace effects to add a model that is already in their crew to their crew. The only exception to this are models that have a number noted after their station characteristic (e.g. Minion (3)). If a summon effect would add a model that would take a player over this limit, the model is simply not added to the game. If a replace effect would add a model that would take a player over this limit, the model is killed in Step 1 of the replace timing chart.

Upgrade Cards

Upgrade cards represent lasting effects that can be applied to a model during the game, such as special tactics, lingering curses, or new equipment. When a model gains an upgrade, that upgrade is attached to the model's stat card. This happens during the game via special actions or abilities.

Upgrades are, by default, unique. Unless an upgrade has the "Plentiful" limitation, a crew can only possess a single copy of that upgrade. A model cannot attach more than one copy of an upgrade with the same name; if it attempts to do so, any additional copies are discarded without effect.

Effects printed on an upgrade card are not considered printed on any model's stat card.

Upgrade Limitations

In order for an upgrade to be attached to a model, all of that upgrade's limitations must be followed:

• Plentiful (X): Your crew can possess up to X copies of upgrades with the same name as this one.
• Restricted (X): The model must possess the quality listed as X or the upgrade may not be attached to it. X is most commonly a name, characteristic, or keyword.

Parts of an Upgrade Card

1. Name: This is the name of the upgrade.
2. Effects: This section explains how the upgrade modifies the model to which it is attached.
3. Limitations: This section lists all of the limitations the upgrade must follow.
4. Type: An upgrade's type is an identifier that can be referenced by models during the game. Most commonly, it allows models to choose one upgrade from a pool of available options.

"This or That" Choices: Some effects within the game provide a model with a choice, such as "discard a card or gain a Stunned token." In cases such as this, the model making the choice may choose either option, provided they have the capability to resolve that option. In the case above, if the model had no cards in its control hand, it could not choose to discard a card; if the model already had a Stunned token (or could not gain one for some reason), it could not choose to gain a Stunned token. If a model cannot resolve either option, the effect is ignored. Many effects within Malifaux have a model perform a duel to avoid a negative effect (such as damage or gaining a token). In these cases, the affected model must attempt the duel, and should they fail, they suffer the effects of that duel.

Choosing to Deal Damage to Yourself or be Killed: Some models in Malifaux may generate effects that require them to deal damage to themselves, such as the cost of an action or an ability. A model can never choose to deal damage to themselves if that damage would reduce their health to 0 or below (after reduction). Similarly, a model cannot choose to fall if it would be killed from falling damage while friendly controlled.

Additionally, while a model is controlled by an opposing player, it can never choose to kill itself with an ability or as part of the text of resolving an action such as Revert Form.

The Rule of Intent

Occasionally in Malifaux, models may be moved in a way that they are obstructed by real-life obstacles, such that while the move is perfectly legal, it is physically impossible to perform. For example: moving two very large models into base contact when base contact between them may be obstructed by the sculpts. This rule may also be used to declare intent when moving exact distances, such as moving a model so it is exactly 4" away from another model, where measuring such a distance is either difficult or too time consuming. Though it should only be used in scenarios with no other options, players may still move models this way by declaring their intent to their opponent first. The moving model must be moved to the closest possible position so that it is readily apparent of the intended position. All game effects, such as measuring distances, should be done from the intended position of the model.

Timing

Sometimes, many effects are happening at, or near, the same time. If there is any confusion on timing, the following rules provide a detailed breakdown.

Sequential Effects

Sometimes, an effect will create additional effects as it resolves. In these cases, fully resolve the initial effect before moving onto any additional effect. Additional effects are then resolved in the order they were generated, after any effects which had been previously generated have resolved.

Simultaneous Effects

Occasionally, an effect will generate multiple effects that occur at the same time. If this happens, they are resolved in the following order:

1. The active player (or the player with initiative, if there is no active player) chooses one of their models with one or more unresolved effects and resolves those effects in whatever order they wish. Then, that player chooses another of their models with unresolved effects and resolves those effects in the same way, continuing in this manner until the player no longer has models with unresolved effects. When an effect resolves, the entire effect resolves (even if it also affects a model controlled by the non-active player).
2. The non-active player resolves any unresolved effects affecting their models, as described above.
3. Any remaining unresolved effects are resolved in an order determined by the active player (or the player with initiative, if there is no active player).

Cumulative Effects

Most effects in Malifaux are not cumulative. A model cannot be affected by two (or more) abilities, tokens, or markers of the same name at the same time. In such a case, only one of the effects, chosen by the player controlling the effect, can change the game state of the model.

For example, if a model is within range of two Aura (Negligent) tokens, it would not need to pass two duels since it is being affected by two tokens of the same name at the same time. However, if a model is dealt damage by a Burning token and then later is dealt damage by another Burning token, that is allowed because the effects are considered consecutive, not cumulative.

Two markers with the same name are considered to be the same game effect. Any terrain traits on a marker (except hazardous) are cumulative, but any special effects either written into a marker's definition, or granted to that marker by another game effect, are not cumulative. For example, an enemy model attempting to draw LoS through two nearby Ice Pillar markers would be affected by the blocking terrain trait from both markers, but the special effect of the Ice Pillar marker (models within 2" of this marker reduce their duel totals by 1 during their activation) would only apply a single time, causing the model to suffer -1 to its duel total, not -2.

Actions Generated by Effects

Many effects in Malifaux (such as actions, abilities, and triggers) can cause a model to take an action. When this happens, the new "additional action" is always resolved after the previous action is completely resolved, including any "After Resolving" effects and triggers, but before any other new action can be taken. Actions generated in this way follow the normal sequence for actions and do not count against a model's action limit.

If multiple actions are generated, they are queued and resolved one at a time in the order they were generated (whichever happened first or was listed first on the card). If an action in a queue generates an action, that action happens before moving to the next action in the queue.

Actions Generated by Effects Example: A master activates and wants to use an action that will, when successful, cause a friendly Agent 46 to declare an action. The sequence resolves as follows:

1. The "Declare the Action" step occurs: the master declares and begins resolving its action.
2. Step B, Perform Duels, occurs: the master performs a simple duel and declines to cheat fate.
3. During Step E of the duel, the master declares an "after succeeding" trigger. Although the trigger is declared now, because it is an after succeeding trigger, its effect does not resolve yet.
4. The master proceeds to Step F, Determine Outcome, and succeeds, concluding the duel.
5. The master moves to Step C, Apply Results. This causes Agent 46 to declare an action — the master chooses for Agent 46 to declare the Charge action, which is entered into the action queue now.
6. The master must finish resolving its own action before any other actions can begin resolving, so it moves to Step D, After Resolving. At this time, the effect of the trigger declared earlier resolves, causing the master to declare the Prepare action, which is entered into the queue now.
7. The master has finished resolving its action, so queued actions resolve now. First in the queue is Agent 46's Charge action.
8. Agent 46 declares Charge, moving up to his Sp. Charge then generates an additional Melee action, which is added to the queue.
9. Agent 46 has finished resolving Charge, so the queue continues. Next is the Prepare action generated by the earlier trigger.
10. The master declares Prepare, choosing to gain a Shielded token.
11. The master has finished resolving Prepare. Left in the queue is the Melee action generated by Agent 46's Charge.
12. Agent 46 declares this Melee action. If it succeeds with the right suit, he could declare a trigger that generates one more additional action.
13. The action queue is now empty, so the master may declare the second action of its activation.

Detailed Timing

A consolidated checklist of the full turn sequence, cross-referencing the detailed rules above:

Start Phase

• A. Determine Initiative: On every turn after the first, the player who did not activate the last model on the previous turn chooses who gains initiative.
• B. Discard Cards: Both players may discard any unwanted cards.
• C. Draw Cards: Each player draws up to their maximum hand size.
• D. Resolve Effects: (1) Used once per turn effects become available. (2) Take Control: once per game one henchman may drain a soulstone to increase its action limit to 3 if there are no masters in its crew. (3) Resolve any effects that happen during the start phase.

Activation Phase

• A. Decide to Pass: If the active player has the fewest (or is tied for the fewest) models left to activate than all opponents, she may choose to pass in order to skip to Step D, without activating a model. A player may not pass if their opponent passed the previous activation.
• B. Select Model: The active player activates a friendly model that has not yet activated this turn.
• C. Activation:
  1. The model counts as having activated this turn.
  2. Start Activation: resolve effects that happen when a model activates.
  3. Take Actions: most models can declare two actions and one signature action; masters can declare three actions and one signature action.
     • a. Declare Action: (i) announce the action's name; (ii) select an object within range to be the target; (iii) check the target is within LoS; (iv) check whether the target has cover or concealment; (v) pay any costs listed in italics; (vi) drain any required soulstones; (vii) resolve effects that happen when or after an action is declared; (viii) resolve any "when this model targets / is targeted" effects; (ix) choose any additional objects noted by the action.
     • b. Perform Duels: (i) modify the duel with abilities or other game effects, initiating model first, including the choice to empower the duel; (ii) flip fate cards (both players flip, then choose a card); (iii) cheat fate, lowest duel total first; (iv) determine duel total; (v) declare trigger (immediately triggers occur); (vi) determine outcome — calculate final duel total, check it meets or exceeds the TN, check it meets or exceeds the target's final duel total, determine success or failure (failed actions skip to After Resolving); (vii) receive raises; (viii) after performing — discard all cards in the conflict, then resolve any "after performing" effects.
     • c. Apply Results: (i) resolve effects in the order presented on the card, including any When Resolving triggers (see Damage Timing for damage resolution); (ii) if the target is killed, resolve any "after this model is killed" effects and any After Killing triggers.
     • d. After Resolving: anything that happens after an action is resolved, including any After Resolving and After Succeeding triggers (triggers with no stated timing are assumed to be After Succeeding).
  4. End Activation: resolve effects that happen when a model ends its activation.
  5. Used once per activation effects may be used again.
  6. Chain Activations: resolve any chain activations generated from an effect during this activation.
• D. Transfer Active Player: If there are still models that have not yet activated this turn, the opponent becomes the active player.

End Phase

• A. Resolve Effects: (1) all "until the end phase" effects end; (2) all "during the end phase" effects resolve.
• B. Score Strategy: (1) players gain any VP earned from the strategy this turn; (2) resolve any end-of-turn effects generated by the strategy.
• C. Reveal Schemes: (1) the player with initiative may reveal any schemes that score at the end of the turn; (2) the player without initiative may do the same.
• D. Abandon Schemes: players may show their scheme to their opponent and discard it without scoring any VP.
• E. Select New Schemes: any crew that revealed or abandoned a scheme this turn picks a new scheme and discards their old scheme.
• F. Check for End of Game: if it is turn 4, the game ends.
• G. Shuffle Discard Piles: players shuffle their discard piles back into their fate decks, setting aside their control hands first so they don't accidentally shuffle their hand back into the deck.

Terrain

The different scenery used on the table is called terrain, but the table itself is not considered terrain. Every terrain piece has one or more traits that determine how it interacts with models. Any time a model's base is touching terrain (either overlapping or in base contact), that model is both in that terrain and considered within 0" of that terrain.

Aura Token Terrain: Some models in Malifaux can create terrain within an area around themselves or another object by applying tokens. These areas are treated as terrain for all purposes and any model within that area is treated as in base contact with that terrain.

Complicated Terrain: Occasionally, players might find themselves playing on a table that has one or more pieces of strangely shaped or abnormally large terrain pieces. In these circumstances, the players should ensure that the parameters of each piece of terrain are properly defined during the "Place and Define Terrain" step of Encounter Setup.

For particularly large or complex pieces of terrain, it is recommended to break that terrain into smaller designated segments and assign traits to individual elements or areas of that terrain. For example, a terrain piece consisting of two buildings connected by a series of narrow planks might be more easily defined as two Buildings connected by multiple Bridges.

Complicated Terrain Example: A model standing on the oddly-shaped ruins of a building, attempting to draw LoS to a distant model, has an intact wall on one side that extends far above it. Since the model is "standing on" the building, the building cannot block its LoS. In cases such as this, it may make more sense for players to agree to treat this oddly-shaped building as two separate pieces of terrain — one climbable blocking Building and one impassable blocking Building — during Step B of Encounter Setup.

Cover and Concealment

Certain terrain traits and game effects grant cover and/or concealment.

Cover: Cover is granted in two ways: by terrain with the blocking trait, and by being at an elevation at least 2" higher than the initiator.

When a model is targeted it has cover if it is within 2" of blocking terrain that at least one of the initiator's sight lines passes through. Terrain which either model is standing on is ignored when drawing sight lines to determine cover. Terrain the initiating model may draw sight lines through due to any special actions or abilities does not grant cover.

When a model with cover is targeted by an attack action, it reduces any damage it is dealt from that attack's Dmg and triggers by 1, to a minimum of 0.

Cover Example: If one model targets another with an attack, the target benefits from cover if at least one sight line crosses over blocking terrain that the target is within 2" of. If the target were instead more than 2" from the blocking terrain the sight line crosses over, it would not benefit from cover.

Concealment: Concealment is granted by terrain with the concealing trait. When a model is targeted it has concealment if at least one of the initiator's sight lines passes through concealing terrain, regardless of how close the targeted model is to that concealing terrain.

The initiating model may choose to be unaffected by the concealing trait of a terrain piece if it is both in that terrain and can draw at least one sight line to the target that passes through less than 1" of that terrain.

When a model with concealment is targeted by an attack action, the action's duel suffers a −.

Terrain Traits

• Blocking: Terrain with the blocking trait cannot be seen through, and therefore can block sight lines. Models within 2" of blocking terrain gain cover if at least one sight line of an initiating model passes through that terrain.
• Climbable: Models may not move through climbable terrain, but they may move across its top (often a roof). Models resolving the Walk action may move vertically up and down along its sides. Other than its top, all other portions of climbable terrain are treated as impassable. If a model ignores this terrain trait, it may still move vertically up and down along the sides of this terrain.
• Concealing: If a sight line drawn to a model passes through concealing terrain, that model has concealment. When drawing sight lines, a model in concealing terrain may choose to be unaffected by that terrain's concealing trait if any single sight line drawn between the two objects passes through 1" or less of that terrain. Most fog banks count as concealing terrain.
• Dense: LoS can be drawn into or out of dense terrain but not through it. Most woods count as dense terrain.
• Destructible: Models can target this terrain with the Slam action to remove it from play.
• Hazardous: After a model resolves any of the following, it suffers the effects of hazardous terrain after the current action or ability is resolved (to a maximum of once per activation): moving through hazardous terrain; moving into base contact with hazardous terrain; resolving any part of an action while in hazardous terrain (even if that action removes the terrain).
• Height X (or Ht X): A number representing how tall a piece of terrain is in inches, rounded up. Terrain with the height trait has a vertical component that is relevant to the game. Height primarily comes into play when determining LoS.
• Impassable: Models and markers cannot move through impassable terrain, which often includes solid objects such as Ice Pillars. Objects cannot be made or placed overlapping impassable terrain.
• Severe: Every inch (or portion thereof) of a non-place movement effect while any part of a model's base is in severe terrain requires twice as much movement to move through.

Hazardous Terrain

A model may only be affected by a single piece of hazardous terrain each activation. If a model would be affected by more than one piece of hazardous terrain, the model controlling the effect which generated the hazardous effect chooses one to resolve, and ignores the others. For example, if a model uses a trigger to move a target through one hazardous marker and into a second hazardous piece of terrain, the attacking model chooses which of the two hazardous effects the moved model resolves, not both.

Sometimes, hazardous terrain will move around the board. This movement never causes models to suffer the effects of hazardous terrain, though it may cause models to suffer hazardous effects from a different criteria. For example, moving a model with an Aura (Hazardous) token will cause the moving model itself to suffer hazardous effects (as it moved through hazardous terrain). Likewise, a model that lures a model with an Aura (Hazardous) token within 2" of itself would suffer hazardous effects (as it resolved an action in hazardous terrain). It is only the motion of the terrain itself that does not cause hazardous effects.

Most of the time, hazardous terrain will resolve a specific effect for the model, such as hazardous (Burning), giving a Burning token to the model. If the hazardous terrain does not belong to any player or model, give an enemy token to the affected model. If the hazardous terrain does not mention an effect in its description, the model is simply dealt 1 damage.

Unaffected by Terrain: If a model is unaffected by a terrain trait, it interacts with that trait in the following, new way:

• Blocking: The terrain piece cannot block the model's sight lines.
• Concealing: The model ignores the concealing trait when drawing sight lines.
• Dense: The terrain piece cannot block the model's sight lines.
• Hazardous: The model does not suffer the effects of the hazardous terrain.
• Impassable: The model may move through, but not end a move overlapping, this terrain.
• Severe: The model does not suffer the movement penalty of severe terrain.

If a model is unaffected by a marker, it is considered unaffected by all of that marker's terrain traits as well as any additional effects that may be listed in its description.

Models unaffected by terrain traits or markers do not ignore that trait or marker in any way other than those outlined above. For example, a model standing in severe terrain is still considered to be in severe terrain, even if it is unaffected by that terrain.

Terrain Examples

Here are some common types of terrain that can be found in Malifaux:

• Barbed Wire: Some parts of Malifaux have been cordoned off with barbed wire. It serves as more of a deterrent to movement than an actual impediment. Barbed Wire counts as hazardous terrain.
• Bridge: A Bridge is an elevated terrain piece that connects two locations while allowing models to pass beneath it, such as the eponymous bridge or a few planks connecting one building's roof to another. Bridges can be divided into two sections: Archways and Walkways.
  • Archways: Archways are the open section beneath a Bridge that allows a model to move underneath the Bridge. Archways are height X terrain, where X is equal to the Archway's height in inches (rounded down). While many Archways are significantly curved, the height of an Archway should stay consistent across the entire length of an Archway. This area is not blocking or impassable, so models with a Sz + elevation that is lower than the Archway's Ht can move freely underneath a Bridge in its Archway.
  • Walkways: Walkways are the solid portion of a bridge that allow models to pass over the bridge. Walkways are height X, where X is equal to the Walkway's height in inches (rounded down). If a Walkway has an Archway beneath it, the area between the Walkway and Archway is treated as blocking and climbable terrain.
• Buildings (Flat and Steep): Buildings are a common feature in Malifaux. We recommend buildings not be wider than 6" on any given side (excluding any stairways on their sides). Flat Buildings have roofs that allow models to stand atop them — these count as height X, blocking, climbable terrain, where X is equal to the Building's height in inches (rounded up). We recommend Flat Buildings not be taller than height 4. Steep Buildings have roofs that do not allow models to stand atop them — these count as height X, blocking, impassable terrain, where X is equal to the Building's height in inches (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Advanced Building Rules: When the players are defining terrain, they can declare that one or more of the table's Buildings can be entered. To enter a Building, a model must be physically able to do so (i.e., it must move through an opening in the wall, such as a doorway or hole, that is large enough for its base to fit). Place effects cannot move a model into or out of a Building.

If any portion of a model's base is within the interior boundaries of a Building, that model is considered to be inside the Building. When drawing LoS to or from a model inside a building's interior, the building the model is inside of is not ignored and does block LoS.

Buildings sometimes have open windows or doors. The portions of a Building's wall immediately above and below an open window or door are not considered to be blocking terrain for the purposes of drawing sight lines into and out of (but not through) a Building.

• Fences and Walls: Fences and Walls are both obstructions that prevent movement. Fences do not obstruct LoS and can be easily destroyed, while Walls block LoS and are too sturdy to destroy. Fences are height X, climbable, destructible terrain, where X is equal to the Fence's height in inches. Walls are height X, blocking, climbable terrain, where X is equal to the Wall's height in inches.
• Fog Bank: Banks of fog are not uncommon in Malifaux, particularly in the early morning or late evening. Fog Banks are concealing and dense.
• Hill: Hills are fairly common beyond the walls of Malifaux City. Models that move horizontally on a Hill do not have to spend any additional movement for changing elevation. Hills count as height X, blocking, climbable terrain. The height trait of a Hill varies depending upon where a model is standing on it; X is equal to the distance between the lowest part of the model's base and the table in inches.
• Obstacles: Obstacles can be anything from crates to large rocks to stacks of coffins. Crates count as height X, blocking, climbable, destructible terrain, where X is equal to the total height of the crates in inches. If the crates are spread out in a loose line, calculate each area of different height as a separate terrain piece. If they are bunched together, use the tallest crate to calculate the stack's height.
• Railings: Railings are thin obscuring terrain that stick up around the edges of a roof. Railings can be easily vaulted over by models, but are too thin for a model to stand on. Railings are Ht X, blocking terrain pieces, where X is equal to the Railing's height in inches. As they are not impassable, models may move through railings, but not end a move overlapping them because their base would be unsupported. Models that scale a building with a Railing on its roof may continue moving horizontally through the Railing until their base no longer overlaps the Railing.
• Staircase: Staircases allow a model to quickly move up or down the side of a building. Models that move horizontally along a staircase do not have to spend any additional movement for changing elevation. Staircases count as height X, blocking, climbable terrain. The height trait of a Staircase varies depending upon where a model is standing on it; X is equal to the distance between the lowest part of the model's base and the table in inches.
• Water: Water includes both rivers and ponds. Water counts as severe terrain.
• Woods: Patches of woods often include underbrush and one or more trees. Woods count as concealing, dense, severe terrain.

Special Terrain

Special terrain represents various and unique obstacles that have appeared on the battlefield. Special terrain includes both a rules card and the unique scenery that is added to the tabletop.

Special terrain follows all the normal rules for terrain with the following additions:

• Special terrain is, by default, unique. Unless its rules card has the "Multiple (X)" trait, a crew may have only one copy of the terrain on the table at a time.
• Special terrain can be added during Encounter Setup, during Step B: Place and Define Terrain. It can additionally be made by a model, if that model is listed in its Creator (X) trait.
• Special terrain can have abilities that work in the same way as model abilities.
• Special terrain cannot be added to the board by a model if that model is controlled by another model.

Special Terrain Traits

Below is a list of additional terrain traits that can be added to special terrain:

• Multiple (X): This terrain can only be added at the start of the game and must be added in increments of X. All copies of this terrain use the same rule card.
• Creator (X): This terrain cannot be added at the start of the game. During the game this terrain can only be initially made by X model.
• Marker (X): This terrain is treated as a terrain marker and must be on a base of X size.

Parts of a Special Terrain Rules Card

1. Name: This is the name of the special terrain.
2. Effects: Each type of special terrain has extra rules and/or interactions, which are listed here.
3. Terrain Traits: All special terrain have at least one terrain trait.
4. Type: Some terrain is grouped by type, which can be referenced by certain models and abilities.

Encounters

The rules for Encounters outline the steps that are needed to set up the game, hire crews, and determine the winner. In organized play events, such as tournaments, there may be some variations on these steps, which would be provided in that event's documentation.

Encounters use the following order:

1. Encounter Setup: A. Determine Encounter Size; B. Place and Define Terrain; C. Determine Scenario; D. Generate Schemes; E. Choose Deployment; F. Choose Faction and Leader; G. Hire Crew; H. Reveal Crews; I. Deployment; J. Choose Schemes; K. Start of Game.
2. Gameplay: Follow the Turn Sequence.
3. End of Encounter: When the game has ended, determine the winner.

Encounter Setup

A. Determine Encounter Size: Players should agree on the size of the game, which determines the number of points that can be used when hiring. A standard game is usually 50 soulstones, but players may choose any value that suits them.

B. Place and Define Terrain: Players should place terrain on the table and then define each terrain piece, with an eye toward having a diverse selection of terrain traits. Players may break large and complicated terrain into smaller terrain pieces.

A standard game of Malifaux is played on a 3 foot by 3 foot table. Roughly 45-65% of its surface should be covered in terrain. It is important to have a few terrain pieces that are at least Ht 2, climbable, and which models may stand on. Generally, a board should have between three and eight of these pieces. Three is on the low end and may be representative of a desert table with a few rock piles, while eight is going to be a packed table and may represent something like a city block with lots of buildings. Get creative — climbable terrain can be anything: buildings, piers, rock formations, crates, or altars.

Using the correct amount of terrain and having a variety of represented terrain traits is important to ensuring that games of Malifaux are fun for both players. Long-range actions are intended to be somewhat limited by terrain that offers concealment and/or cover. Severe terrain is intended to shape the game by making some areas of the table more difficult to reach. While well-painted, appropriate terrain looks great, players should feel free to use whatever they have on hand to populate the table, such as books, cups, etc.

C. Determine Scenario: Both players shuffle their fate decks and flip the top card off of it, re-flipping any jokers. The player that flips higher will be the attacker and the other player will be the defender; these designations are utilized when determining the setup of an encounter. If there is a tie, both players reflip.

The suit of the attacker's card determines the strategy that is being used. Each player may score up to a total of 5 victory points (VP) from the strategy. The list of strategies can be found in the most current Gaining Grounds. Additional strategy and scheme pools can be found for free on the Malifaux Crew Builder App. The suit of the defender's card determines the deployment type.

Key terms:

• Centerpoint: The exact center of the table.
• Centerline: The line dividing the table for a given deployment type.
• Table Edge: Any length of the four 36" long sides of the table, beyond which models cannot move.
• Table Half: The centerline always bisects the table into two equal halves.
• Table Corner: Any place where two table edges meet. There are four table corners.
• Table Quarter: An 18" by 18" square section of the table. Each table has four table quarters, each of which extends halfway along the table edge from the table corners.
• Friendly: When friendly is applied to a physical part of the table, it means the part with your deployment zone. For example, a friendly table edge is any table edge touched by your deployment zone.
• Enemy: When enemy is applied to a physical part of the table, it means the part with your opposing player's deployment zone. For example, an enemy table half is the half that includes their deployment zone.

Deployment Types (chosen by the defender's card suit):

• Standard Deployment: A player deploys within 8" of a chosen table edge, with the opponent deploying within 8" of the opposite table edge.
• Corner Deployment: A player deploys within 12" of a chosen table corner, with the opponent deploying within 12" of the opposite table corner.
• Flank Deployment: The table is divided into four quarters. A player deploys within 9" of the table edges of a chosen table quarter, with the opponent deploying in the opposite quarter.
• Wedge Deployment: A player deploys in a wedge starting 12" from the center of the table edge and sweeping back to the corners, with the opponent deploying opposite.

D. Generate Schemes: This step determines which schemes are available to choose this game, although neither player chooses a scheme now. To generate the scheme pool available for this game, the attacker shuffles the scheme cards in the current Gaining Grounds together, then flips three face up. Those three schemes are available for both the attacker and defender to choose from. Once the scheme pool is generated and noted down, the attacker takes their scheme cards back.

E. Choose Deployment: The attacker chooses a deployment zone for their model deployment in Step I.

F. Choose Faction and Leader:

1. Each player simultaneously chooses a faction for their crew and announces it to their opponent.
2. Once factions are determined, each player chooses a single model from their chosen faction to be their crew's leader. Normally, the leader must be a master.
3. Once both players have selected their leader, they reveal the name of their leader, though not its title, simultaneously.

Titles: Titles represent different versions of the same character within the Malifaux universe. As such, two versions of a single character cannot exist in the same crew. If a crew contains a model with a title, it cannot hire any models of the same name that have a different title. Models with no title are treated as having a different title than models that have a title. During gameplay, though they have the same name, models that have different titles are treated as separate models and can have different model limits, abilities, and other effects.

G. Hire Crew: Hiring a crew consists of selecting models. Each player must hire their chosen leader, as well as that leader's totem model(s). Both the leader and any of their linked totems treat their cost as 0 during this step. Then, players add the crew card associated with the specific title of their hired master to their crew.

Finally, players may hire any models that share one or more keywords with their leader. The total cost of all models hired by a player's crew cannot exceed the game's encounter size. Some game effects can affect how a crew hires models; these are listed as "when hiring" on a model's card. Additionally, a player may hire any models that belong to their declared faction, though models that do not share a keyword with their crew's leader have their cost increased by 1 during hiring. The exceptions to this rule are models with the versatile and loyal characteristics. Versatile models do not have their cost increased when hired. Loyal models may only be hired into a crew if they are allied with that crew's leader.

When hiring, you may not include more than two models that do not share a keyword with your leader. Versatile models do not count toward this limit. By default, you may only hire one copy of a given model into your crew. Some models, however, have numbers listed after their station characteristic. If a model lists a number in this way, you may instead hire a number of copies of that model up to the listed value (i.e. model limit).

After hiring your crew, up to 6 unspent points become soulstones in your crew's soulstone pool. A crew's soulstone pool cannot exceed 6 soulstones during hiring. Any additional points are lost.

Totems: Totems are special models that are intrinsically linked to a master. The master's stat card will list which totem belongs to it. A totem must be hired if the linked master is also in the crew, and cannot be hired if the linked master is not in the crew. If a totem has a model limit greater than 1, the maximum number of copies of that model are hired. Totems treat their cost as 0 during hiring. During gameplay, a totem can only be summoned or replaced into if the linked master is still in play and in the crew.

H. Reveal Crews: Once both players have finished hiring their crews, the crews are revealed to each other. This reveal shows all aspects of the crew, including the models chosen, their titles (if any), and any crew cards. Players should hand a copy of their crew card to their opponent at this time.

I. Deployment:

1. The defender divides their crew into two groups, with any number of models in each group (including 0).
2. The attacker chooses one of those two groups, and the defender deploys that group completely within their deployment zone chosen in Step E.
3. The attacker then deploys their crew completely within the opposite deployment zone.
4. Finally, the defender deploys their remaining group completely within their deployment zone.

J. Choose Schemes: Each player secretly chooses one of the three available schemes, determined earlier. Players may keep their chosen scheme face down in front of them, or hold it in their control hand with their fate cards. In such a case, their chosen scheme does not count as a fate card.

K. Start of Game: Once the models are deployed, both players shuffle their fate decks, including any cards used to determine the strategy and deployment type. This should leave each player with a full, fresh deck of 54 cards. Each player should give the other player an opportunity to cut their deck.

Now it's the start of the game! Any effects that happen at the start of the game happen now. If multiple effects happen, the attacker may choose the order in which they resolve.

Gameplay

Once all start-of-game effects are complete, players jump into the first turn (without shuffling), following the Turn Sequence structure.

End of Encounter

At the end of the encounter, each player totals up all the VP they've earned. The player with the most VP is the winner.

Strategies

Both crews are attempting to score VP from the same strategy. The strategy lists how VP is scored as well as any special rules for the encounter. The rules for strategies are found on strategy cards which are part of Gaining Grounds. Strategy cards are divided into four sections:

• Setup: This section includes any special rules for setting up the game, and usually involves rules for making Strategy markers that are used during the strategy.
• Rules: Any new rules the strategy introduces, such as how models interact with Strategy markers, how to hold parts of the board for scoring, etc. are listed here.
• Scoring: How crews score VP from the strategy is listed here. Sometimes the player with fewer VP will also have a choice to make at the end of the round. If they do, that will be listed here as well.

Additional Victory Points: All strategies give a crew the option to score one additional victory point as a reward for meeting additional criteria, which may be as simple as gaining VP from the strategy on a specific turn of the encounter.

Measuring Between Markers: If a strategy or scheme requires measuring between markers, this measurement never requires LoS unless it states otherwise.

Schemes

Schemes are secret objectives that your crew is trying to accomplish. At the start of the game, a scheme pool made of three available schemes is created during the Generate Schemes step. Each player selects one scheme during Step J of Encounter Setup. A crew may never have more than one scheme selected at any one time.

A crew's scheme is considered hidden information, though a crew may look at their own chosen scheme at any time. Some schemes require another secret choice, which players should write down on a sheet of scrap paper — players may pretend to write something down to fool their opponent.

Schemes begin the game unrevealed. A crew may never reveal the same scheme more than once in a game, though both crews may each reveal the same scheme. After a scheme is revealed, it becomes open information for the rest of the encounter.

If two players would ever reveal a scheme at the same time, the player with initiative reveals and resolves any effects from revealing that scheme first. Each scheme will indicate when and how it can be revealed. A few common reveal timings:

• At the end of an activation: Reveal this scheme after a model has completely finished activating, during Step C-4 of the activation phase.
• At the end of the turn: Reveal this scheme at the end of the entire turn, during Step B of the end phase.

Though a crew may reveal any number of schemes they wish over the course of an encounter, a crew may only score a maximum of 6 combined VP from schemes. Any points they would gain in excess are ignored. For example, if a crew that has already revealed three schemes for a combined 5 VP revealed a fourth scheme and would gain 2 more VP, it only gains 1 VP; the additional VP is not gained and is ignored for all game effects.

Additional Victory Points: Some schemes give a crew the option to score additional victory points as a reward for meeting additional criteria. A crew cannot gain additional victory points if they did not gain the scheme's normal victory points.

Abandoning a Scheme: If a crew cannot or does not want to reveal the scheme they have selected, they can choose to discard it face up during the end phase without gaining any VP, and select a new scheme from the list of Next Available Schemes.

Schemes and Models Without a Cost: Some schemes reference a model's cost, but some models have a cost of "-". This is most common with masters and totems. For the purposes of schemes, models without a cost are counted as having a cost equal to their maximum health (to a maximum of cost 10).

Measuring Between Scheme Markers: If a scheme requires measuring between Scheme markers to determine scoring, this measurement never requires LoS unless it states otherwise.

Parts of a Scheme Card

1. Name: This is the name of the scheme. No crew may reveal a scheme if they have already revealed a scheme of the same name this encounter.
2. Reveal: This explains how a crew may reveal this scheme. All criteria in this section must be met before the scheme can be revealed.
3. Scoring: This details what a crew must do to earn the first VP from this scheme.
4. Additional VP: This section adds an additional cost or restriction to the scheme's Scoring section. If this condition is met, the crew gains 2 VP instead of 1.
5. Next Available Schemes: After a crew reveals a scheme it secretly selects one of the "Next Available Schemes" listed here during Step E of the end phase.

Gaining Grounds

Gaining Grounds is a document with official rules for organized play, such as tournaments or leagues. It is published free on Wyrd Games' website. Gaining Grounds also includes the set of strategies and schemes that rotate periodically: four strategies (one for each suit) and a set of schemes. The strategies and schemes are sold in individual card packs, and are also free on Wyrd's site — you will need them to play, whether the physical cards or their free digital equivalents. The strategies and schemes cycle out with each new Gaining Grounds, roughly once a year; see Wyrd's website for the current version. Because this pool of specific Strategy and Scheme cards rotates on its own schedule independent of the core rules, and is themed and reprinted like a card set rather than a fixed rule, it is treated the same way this app treats other games' expansion card databases and is not reproduced card-by-card here — the mechanics for how Strategies and Schemes work are covered above under Strategies and Schemes.