Glossary

Activated Effect: You may use an “activated effect” at your discretion during your Main Phase. You may activate “activated effects” as an action during your Main Phase. See Activate an Effect (see rule 8.14).
Activation Cost: When an activated effect has a colon, the bolded text preceding the colon is the activation cost, and the text following the colon is the effect that resolves after you pay the activation cost. See Cost (see rule 11.1). An activation cost is a cost that must be paid to activate an effect. See EFFECTS > Activated Effects (see rule 10.18).
Adjust (Increase / Decrease / Set): Adjust a Gig by changing its value. “Increase” a Gig by adjusting to a higher number. “Decrease” a Gig by adjusting to a lower number. “Set” a Gig by adjusting it to a specific value.
[ADRENALINE]: The [ADRENALINE] keyword is shorthand for “This Unit can attack the turn it's played.” Units with [ADRENALINE] may attack even if they’re lagging. All other criteria for valid attack targets still apply. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL > Declare the Attack (see rule 9.3).
Attack: “Attack” is a game action in which you spend a friendly ready Unit to attack a valid target, which results in the friendly Unit fighting or stealing.
[ATTACK]: The [ATTACK] trigger is shorthand for “When this Unit attacks, [...]” The effect attached to the [ATTACK] trigger enters pending when you spend the Unit for the purpose of declaring an attack.
Attacker / Attacking Unit: The Unit you spend to attack is the “attacker” or “attacking Unit.” It attacks the selected target.
Attacking Player / Defending Player: While attacking, you are the “attacking player.” While you’re attacking, your Rival is the “defending player.”
Base Power: “Base power” refers to the printed power on a Legend, Unit, or Gear, separate from any applied or inherited modifiers.
[BLOCKER]: The [BLOCKER] keyword is shorthand for “When a rival Unit attacks, you may spend this Unit to redirect the attack to it instead.“ Activate [BLOCKER] as a reaction during the React Step of your Rival’s attack action. When a Unit uses [BLOCKER], it becomes the target of the attacking Unit’s current attack.
Bottom-deck: “Bottom-deck” is a game action in which you place a card (or cards) on the bottom of your deck in a random order.
Call a Legend: “Call a Legend” is a game action in which you pay 1 €$ to flip a face-down Legend face-up. You may only Call a Legend once per turn.
[CALL]: The [CALL] trigger is shorthand for “When you flip this Legend face-up through the ‘Call a Legend’ action, [...]” The effect attached to the [CALL] trigger enters pending when you reveal the Called Legend.
Competition-Level Events: Competition-level events are held with the highest enforcement of the rules. They use best-of-3 matches and require decklists submitted via Melee.gg. Tiers: Night City District Open, Edgerunner Open Regional, Black Sapphire Invitational Championship, Cyberpunk TCG World Championship.
Concede: At any point, you may concede. When you concede, you lose immediately. To concede during any point of the game you may tell your Rival they are the winner of the game.
Condition: An effect may include conditions. A “condition” is a requirement that must be true for an effect to apply, become pending, and resolve. (Conditions are often “if” or “when” clauses.)
Constructed Format: In constructed formats, players prepare their own decks in advance. The constructed format is the standard format for all competition-level events.
Controller: You “control” the pieces currently in your friendly Gig area, field, Legends area, and Eddies area. You’re the “controller” of these pieces, even if you’re not the owner.
Cost: A “cost” details what you must pay to play a card, activate an effect, or perform a game action. See Pay (see rule 11.11). A cost must be paid in full; if you cannot pay all required costs, you cannot play the card, activate the effect, nor perform the game action associated with it
Cost Value: A card’s “cost value” (also referred to as just “cost”) denotes the number of (€$) you must pay to play it. See Pay (see rule 11.11) and X €$ (see rule 11.20).
Deck Area: Your deck is a hidden area. The cards in your deck remain face-down at all times and in a single stack. You can’t look at or change the order of cards in your deck during a game.
Defeat / Defeated: When a Unit loses a fight, the opposing Unit defeats it as a result. When a Unit is defeated, its owner moves it to their trash.
[DEFEATED]: The [DEFEATED] trigger is shorthand for ”When this Unit is defeated, [...]” The effect attached to the [DEFEATED] trigger enters pending when the Unit has been declared defeated and is moved to trash.
Defending Gig Area: If your attack target is the rival Gig area, it’s called the “defending Gig area.”
Defending Unit / Defender: If your attack target is a Unit, it’s called the “defending Unit,” “defender,” or “opposing Unit.”
Draw: “Draw” is a game action in which you move the top card of your deck to your hand. When an effect says “Draw X” (where X is a number), take the draw action X number of times. Literally, it means “move the top card of your deck to your hand, X individual times.”
Eddies (€$): Your Eddies area contains your Eddies. The Eddies here are “friendly Eddies.” All cards in your Eddies area are considered Eddies. Each face-down card in the Eddies area is one (1) Eddie. Spend one (1) Eddie to pay 1 €$ toward a cost.
Effect: An effect is card text that affects the game. Card text is the source of effects.
Effect Keywords: Effect keywords are a shorthand for specific effects.
Effect Text: “Effect text” is any text on a card that dictates a game effect.
End of Turn: When your turn ends, you must resolve any end of turn effects in this order. Resolve effects that occur “at the end of your turn,” “at the end of each turn,” and variations thereof. Remove effects that last “this turn” and variations thereof.
Ending an Attack: An attack ends if any of the following are true: The attacking Unit is no longer in the field area. The attack target is no longer in the area it was attacked in. The attack target is no longer a legal attack target for the attacking Unit. An effect has ended the attack.
Equip / Equipped / Unequipped: “Equip” is a game action in which you attach a Gear to a Unit or Legend by placing the card beneath it. When you do, the Gear becomes “equipped to” that card. See CARD TYPES > Gear (see rule 4.9). A Unit or Legend with one or more Gears attached is “equipped.” A Unit or Legend with no Gear attached is “unequipped.”
Face-down: “Face-down” refers to a card displaying its back. While a card is face-down, ignore all card information, except whether or not the card is a Legend. (As indicated by the cardback design.)
Face-up: “Face-up” refers to a card displaying its face.
Field Area: Play a card by paying its cost and placing it ready on the field. A card in the field is “in play.” The field is a public area. You can look at the face-up cards any player has on their field at any time. You may always know the number of cards any player has in play.
Fight: A “fight” is a game process in which two opposing Units compare power to determine at least one loser and potentially one winner. A Unit wins a fight when it has a higher power than the opposing Unit. A Unit loses a fight when it has equal or lower power than the opposing Unit. If both Units in a fight have the same power, neither Unit wins and both Units lose the fight.
Fight Step: The Fight Step only happens if the attack target is a Unit. If the attack target is a Gig Area, the Steal Step happens instead. During the “Fight Step” of an attack, the attacking Unit and the defending Unit fight.
Fixer Area: The fixer area is where you place your dice during Pre-Game Setup (see rule 7.4). Dice remain in the fixer area until you roll them in during you Main Phase (see rule 8.9). Gig dice in the fixer area are not under your control, and thus don’t count as friendly Gigs, nor towards your Street Cred.
Flavor Text: “Flavor text” is non-gameplay text that adds lore to a card. Flavor text is always italicized.
Flip: “Flip” is a game action in which you take a card in a face-down and turn it to the face-up position, or vice versa.
Floor Judge: A Floor Judge's primary responsibility at any Cyberpunk TCG event is to aid the maintenance of tournament integrity by responding to questions and issues from players.
For Free: When you play a card “for Free,” play the card without paying its cost. When playing a card for free, you must still meet any additional conditions outside of the cost.
Friendly: Pieces you control are considered “friendly” pieces.
Friendly Gig Area: The friendly Gig area is also referred to as just “your Gig area” (and variations thereof). The Gigs in the friendly Gig area are under your control, and are friendly Gigs. Their values count towards your Street Cred. See GIGS (see section 6).
Gameplay Rewind (Takeback): A gameplay rewind (or takeback) occurs when a player takes a game action then immediately chooses to undo the action. Both players must agree to a gameplay rewind before it's enacted.
Gear: Gear cards can be equipped to your Units and Legends to grant them additional power and/or effects. To play a Gear, reveal the card to your Rival, pay its cost, and equip it to a friendly Unit or friendly face-up Legend. See Equip (see rule 11.9).
Gig / Gig Dice: 1 polyhedral die represents 1 Gig. Gigs are also referred to as “Gig dice” (and variations thereof). Gig dice are represented by d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. These designations refer both to the number of sides on a die and the highest value a die can reach.
Gig Value: A Gig’s value is the number on its current top face.
[GO SOLO]: The [GO SOLO] keyword is shorthand for “Pay this Legend's cost to play it as a ready Unit. It can attack this turn. If it leaves the field, remove it from the game.”
Hand: Your hand is where drawn cards are held. Your hand is a hidden area, but you can freely view its contents and change the order of cards in it.
Head Judge: The Head Judge of any Cyberpunk TCG event is the final arbiter of rulings at that event.
Hidden Area: Cards in a hidden area aren’t publicly known. You can’t look at them unless directed by an effect. If a card enters a hidden area, ignore any information on the card and remove any existing modifiers attached to it.
In Play: A card in the field is “in play.”
Intentional Draw (ID): Players may choose at the start of a Swiss round, before decks are revealed and before time has started, to Intentionally Draw (ID). Players may not offer anything in exchange for an ID. Players may not choose to ID during a single elimination round.
Lag / Lagging: Lag is a condition applied to Units when they enter the field. Units with Lag are also called “lagging.” Lagging Units can’t attack. Lagging Units can’t activate [Spend Icon] effects. At the end of each turn, all Units lose the “Lag” condition.
Legend: All 3 of your Legends begin face-down in your Legends area in a random order. See GAME SETUP > Pre-Game Setup (see rule 7.4). A Legend is only valid in the Legends area or field area. All other areas (trash, hand, deck, etc.) are invalid areas. You may play a Legend from the Legends area to the field as a Unit by paying its cost.
Legends Area: Each player places their three Legends face-down and randomized in this area at the start of the game. You can spend any number of Legends in this area as 1 €$ each, whether face-up or face-down.
Lose Conditions: When you must draw a card from an empty deck (i.e. there are 0 cards in your deck area), you lose immediately. If there’s a card effect that specifies an alternate lose condition, you lose if you meet that condition. At any point, you may concede. When you concede, you lose immediately.
Main Phase: During your Main phase, you may take valid Main phase actions in any order. Unless stated otherwise, you may take any action any number of times.
Max Gig: A max Gig is any Gig die at its highest possible value.
Min Gig: A min Gig is any Gig die at its lowest possible value.
Move (Gear): "Move" is a game action in which you unequip a Gear from the Unit or Legend it’s equipped to and equip it to another valid Unit or Legend.
Mulligan: You have up to one (1) opportunity to mulligan your opening hand. The player going first must declare whether or not they will mulligan and if so, complete it, before the second player may declare and execute their own mulligan.
Name: The location of a card’s name varies based on card type, but it’s generally presented in a bold text treatment, at a higher font point than other card information.
Negative Numbers: A game value can be a negative number. When a game value is a negative number, it is treated as 0 for all references and comparisons of values.
Night City Gauntlet (LGS-Level Events): Night City Gauntlet events are hosted at LGSs. These LGS events give players the opportunity to participate in accessible and primarily casual events for players of all backgrounds. Events: Pre-Release Events (sealed), Night City Brawls (constructed), Night City Showdowns (introductory competitive, constructed).
Null ( - ): A value of null ( - ) is not treated as a number. It does not count as 0, and it is not even or odd.
Opening Hand: Draw 6 cards from the top of your deck and add them to your hand. This is your “opening hand.”
Overtime: In overtime, if you have seven (7) or more Gig dice in the friendly Gig area at any point, you immediately win the game. Overtime begins after two consecutive turns in which both players begin with an empty fixer area. (Usually, after both players have completed 7 turns each.)
Owner: You “own” the pieces you bring to the game (your deck, side deck, Gig dice, etc.). You’re the “owner” of these pieces.
Pass (the turn): At any point during your Main phase while you are not taking an action, you may choose to pass your turn to your Rival. When you do, immediately begin the End of Turn (see rule 8.16) check.
Pay: “Pay” is a game action in which you spend a number of Eddies and/or Legends in the Legends area equal to a cost.
Pending: A “pending” effect is an effect that is waiting to resolve. You cannot take any game actions until all pending effects are resolved.
Persistent Effect: A “persistent effect” continuously applies while its conditions (if any) are met. A persistent effect continuously applies while it is active.
Play: To play a card, reveal it, pay its cost, and then follow the rules for playing that specific card type detailed in CARD TYPES (see section 4).
[PLAY]: The [PLAY] trigger is shorthand for “When you play this card, [...]” The effect attached to the [PLAY] trigger enters pending when you meet all the requirements when playing that card type. See CARD TYPES (see section 4).
Power: A card’s “power” determines its success in stealing and fighting. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL (see section 9). A Unit or Legend’s power is equal to the power printed on the card plus the power of its equipped Gear and any current effect modifiers.
Program: Programs provide immediate one-time effects. To play a Program, reveal the card to your Rival, pay its cost, resolve its effect(s), and immediately move it to your trash.
Public Area: Face-up cards in a public area are known to all players. You can look at information on all face-up cards at any time. Face-down cards in a public area aren’t publicly known. You can’t look at them unless directed by an effect.
[QUICK]: The [QUICK] keyword is shorthand for “You may also activate this effect (or play this Program) as a reaction to a rival Unit’s attack.” You may activate a [QUICK] effect as an action during your Main Phase or as a reaction during the React Step of your Rival’s attack action. You must still pay any associated costs no matter when you play the effect.
RAM: A RAM value consists of a number and a color. (i.e. “2 Red,” “6 Yellow,” etc.)
RAM Limits: A deck’s 3 Legends provide your deck’s “RAM Limits.” All other cards in your deck must be within these RAM Limits. A deck’s RAM Limit in a color is the sum of its Legends’ RAM in that color. Your deck may include any card with RAM less than or equal to your deck’s RAM Limit for its color.
Rarity: The symbol defines a card’s rarity; how common the card is in its printed set.
React Step / Reaction: During the “React Step” of an attack, the defending player has an opportunity to react. They may take as many reactions as they want, in any order they choose. You may only take reactions during the React Step of an attack, and only if you are the defending player.
Ready: “Ready” refers to cards oriented in the vertical position, upright relative to you. To ready a spent card, turn it 90° until it is fully vertical and upright.
Reminder Text: “Reminder text” reminds you of relevant rules, keyword definitions, or other implied effects. Reminder text is not effect text, and does not influence gameplay.
Removed from Game: Cards removed from the game are public, and either player can freely view this area and order. Cards removed from the game do not have a designated game area, because they are no longer part of the game. A card removed from the game cannot re-enter the game area unless an effect specifically returns the card to the game.
Replacement Effect: A “replacement effect” replaces one game action or process with another. A replacement effect replaces one action or process with another. (They often use “would” and “instead.”)
Resolve: To “resolve” an effect, follow the instructions of that effect in the order they appear.
Reveal: "Reveal" is a game action in which you show designated cards to your Rival. Revealing a card is not removing it from the designated area unless specified after effect resolution. (Such as adding a revealed card to hand.)
Rival: A game of Cyberpunk TCG has two (2) players. Each player is the other’s opponent, or “Rival.”
Rival Gig Area: The Gigs in this area are under your Rival’s control, and are considered rival Gigs. Their values count towards your Rival’s total Street Cred. See GIGS (see section 6). The rival Gig area containing at least 1 Gig is a valid attack target.
Roll In: “Roll in” a Gig from your fixer area. Choose a Gig from your fixer area. You may only choose the d20 if there are no other Gigs in your fixer area. Roll the chosen Gig. The top face when it stops rolling is its value. Place the Gig in the friendly Gig area, preserving the rolled value.
Round-end Procedure: After round time has elapsed, players who are not finished with their match enter into a procedure called "round-end." Round-end procedures are distinct from the Overtime rules described in the Comprehensive Rules.
Sealed Format: In sealed formats, players open and assemble decks as part of the tournament itself.
Search: “Search” is a game action in which you look at a designated amount of cards. When an effect says “Search X” (where X is a number), look at X number of cards from the top of your deck. Once you fulfill any “Search” requirements, if the card does not tell you where to place the cards afterward, return the cards to their original location in the same order.
Sell: “Sell” is a game action in which you turn a card into an Eddie by revealing it to your Rival and placing it face-down in the Eddies area. When you sell a card, it enters the Eddies area face-down and ready. See Eddies Area (see rule 5.8).
Sell Tag: If a card in your hand has a “Sell Tag,” you may sell it as an action during your main phase. See Sell (see rule 11.12). Legends with a sell tag can be spent to pay 1 €$ while face-up in the Legends area.
Sideboard / Sideboarding: Either before the start of a best-of-1 round or in between games during a best-of-3 round, players may choose to swap in cards from their 7-card sideboard in their deck. After sideboarding, the deck must still have the same number of cards as it did pre-sideboard, and the sideboard must have 7 cards. Sideboards may only include main deck cards. Players may not sideboard Legend cards.
Single-Elimination (Top Cut): Single elimination rounds are always 75-minute best-of-3 matches. Single elimination rounds occur only after Swiss rounds in an event have concluded, or when playing an on-demand side event.
[Spend Icon]: The [Spend Icon] symbol is shorthand for an activation cost. It means: “Spend this Unit or Legend to activate the following effect.” To activate a [Spend Icon] effect, you must spend the card with the express purpose of paying its activation cost. When you spend a Unit or Legend with this symbol for any other reason, it does not trigger the [Spend Icon] effect.
Spent / Spend: “Spent” refers to cards oriented in the horizontal position, sideways relative to you. To spend a ready card, turn it 90° until it is fully horizontal.
Start Phase: When your turn starts, your Start Phase begins immediately. You must take these actions in this order.
Steal: To steal a Gig is to take control of a rival Gig, such that it becomes a friendly Gig. Whenever a Gig is stolen, there is an “actor” that steals it.
Steal Step: The Steal Step only happens if the attack target is a Gig area. If the attack target is a Unit, the Fight Step happens instead. During the “Steal Step” of an attack, the attacker attempts to steal one or more Gig dice from the defending Gig area. The number of Gigs an attacker steals is based on its power.
Street Cred [Star]: Your “Street Cred” is the sum of all Gig dice values in the friendly Gig area. The [Star] symbol is shorthand for Street Cred. When you have no Gigs in your Gig area you have Null ( - ) Street Cred. Null does not count as having 0.
Subtitle: A card’s subtitle is located directly underneath its name. The subtitle distinguishes between different cards with the same name. If two cards have the same name but different subtitles, they are considered different cards.
Swap: To swap a Gig is to choose a friendly Gig die and a rival Gig die, then move the friendly Gig die to the rival Gig area and the rival Gig die to the friendly Gig area at the same time.
Swiss Rounds: Swiss rounds paired using Melee.gg ensure that players with the same win/loss record (or closest tiebreakers) are paired against each other, while also ensuring that no two players are paired twice. At the competition-level, Swiss rounds must be played as 50-minute best-of-3 matches. At the LGS-level, Swiss rounds can be played as either 50-minute best-of-3 or 30-minute best-of-1 matches.
Tags: “Tags” denote a card’s classifications. When an effect includes a tag, it’s referencing all cards with that tag. Every card has at least one tag, and there is no upper limit on the number of tags a card can have.
Tie: If both players win simultaneously, the game is considered a tie. If both players lose simultaneously, the game is considered a tie.
Top Textbox / Bottom Textbox: Gears have two textboxes, referred to as the “top textbox” and “bottom textbox.” The top textbox contains effects for the Gear. These effects are relevant when you play the Gear, and generally not relevant after a Gear is equipped. The bottom textbox contains effects inherited by the Unit or Legend the Gear is equipped to. Read the bottom textbox as if it's printed on that Unit or Legend.
Tournament Organizer (TO): A Tournament Organizer (TO) is any party responsible for the establishing and running of any Cyberpunk TCG tournament at the LGS-level or competition-level. This may include an LGS, an individual, or a third party TO.
Trash (action): When used as an instruction, “trash” refers to the game action in which you reveal the top card of your deck and move it to your Trash area. When an effect says “trash X” (where X is a number), take the Trash action X number of times. Literally, means “reveal the top card of your deck and move it to your Trash area X times.”
Trash Area: The trash is a public area. Cards in this area are placed face-up in a pile, and either player can freely view the contents and order of these cards.
Trigger Keywords: Trigger keywords are a shorthand for specific conditions. When those conditions are met, the effect associated with it automatically enters pending.
Triggered Effect: A “triggered effect” becomes pending when its trigger condition is met. A triggered effect has a trigger condition.
Unit: To play a Unit, reveal the card to your Rival, pay its cost, and place it ready in the field area. Units enter the field with Lag. See Lag (see rule 11.3). You may spend a Unit to declare an attack on a valid attack target. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL (see section 9).
Up to: When cards or effects specify “up to,” you can choose none or 0 (unless there’s a specified minimum).
Valid Attack Target: A spent rival Unit is a valid attack target. A rival Gig area containing one or more Gigs is a valid attack target. (An empty Gig area is not a valid attack target.) Card effects may add to, remove, or restrict a Unit’s valid attack targets. If there are no valid targets, you cannot attack.
Valid Effect / Invalid Effect: An effect is “valid” if it can apply according to its text, the game rules, and the current game state. An effect is “invalid” if it cannot apply according to its text, the game rules, or the current game state.
Value-pair: A value-pair is 2 dice with the same value in the same Gig area. A Gig can only count towards a single value-pair at a time.
Win Conditions: If you have seven (7) or more Gig dice in the friendly Gig area at the start of your turn, you win the game. In overtime, if you have seven (7) or more Gig dice in the friendly Gig area at any point, you immediately win the game. If there’s a card effect that specifies an alternate win condition, you win immediately when you meet that condition.
X €$: “X €$” (where X is a number) denotes Eddies and/or Legends spent to pay a cost. When bolded and preceding a colon, before the effect text, it represents an activation cost (or part of an activation cost) for the effect. It means: “Pay X to activate the following effect.”