“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.
You may attack as a Main Phase action. See TURN ORDER > Main Phase (see rule 8.9).
To attack, you must declare the attack by completing these steps in order.
Choose a friendly ready Unit in the field area that can attack.
Lagging Units can’t attack. See Lag (see rule 11.3).
Choose a valid attack target for that Unit.
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.
An effect that allows a Unit to attack only grants the specific permission described by that effect and does not remove other attack restrictions.
If there are no valid targets, you cannot attack.
Spend the friendly Unit.
Communicate the attack and the attack target to your Rival.
When you declare an attack to your Rival, the game process of “attacking” begins immediately.
While attacking, you are the “attacking player.”
While you’re attacking, your Rival is the “defending player.”
The Unit you spend to attack is the “attacker” or “attacking Unit.” It attacks the selected target.
If your attack target is a Unit, it’s called the “defending Unit,” “defender,” or “opposing Unit.”
If your attack target is the rival Gig area, it’s called the “defending Gig area.”
When you declare the attack to your Rival, apply effects that last “while attacking” and variations thereof. All effects triggered by attacking or spending the attacker become pending. See EFFECTS > Pending Resolution (see rule 10.11).
After all pending effects are resolved, if the attacker or the defending Unit is no longer in the field area, the attack ends. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL > Ending an Attack (see rule 9.21). Otherwise, the attack continues; proceed to the React Step.
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.
You may Call a Legend as a reaction. See Call a Legend (see rule 11.14).
You may activate the [BLOCKER] effect on a ready Unit as a reaction.
When a Unit uses [BLOCKER], it becomes the defending Unit, fully replacing the previous attack target.
You may activate any effects with the [QUICK] keyword as a reaction. See TERMS > Effect Keywords > QUICK (see rule 11.30).
If an effect on a Program in your hand has the [QUICK] keyword, you may play that Program as a reaction.
If a reaction triggers one or more effects, those effects become pending. Both players must resolve all pending effects before the defending player may take another reaction. See EFFECTS > Triggered Effects (see rule 10.11).
At any point during the React Step, while not taking a reaction and while there are no effects pending resolution, the defending player may choose to end the React Step.
If at any point the attacker or the defending Unit is no longer in the field area, the attack ends. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL > Ending an Attack (see rule 9.21).
When the React Step ends, the attack continues. If the attack target is a Unit, proceed to the Fight Step. If the attack target is a Gig area, proceed to the Steal 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. See Fight (see rule 11.4).
After the fight, resolve all pending effects. Then, the Fight Step and the attack end. See ATTACK, FIGHT, AND STEAL > Ending an Attack (see rule 9.21).
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.
If the attacked Gig area has no Gigs in it when the Steal Step begins, no Gigs can be or are stolen.
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.
If the attacking Unit has power 0, it steals 0 Gigs.
If the attacking Unit has power 1+, it steals X Gigs (rounded down) according to this formula, where P = the attacking Unit’s power.
`X = (P / 10) + 1)`
If the attacker steals more Gigs than are in the attacked Gig area, choose as many Gigs as possible to steal.
After stealing Gigs, resolve all pending effects. Then, the Steal Step and the attack end. See Ending an Attack (see rule 9.21).
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 valid attack target for the attacking Unit.
An effect has ended the attack.
An attack can end before reaching the React Step, Fight Step or Steal Step.
If an attack ends before reaching the React Step, Fight Step or Steal Step, no fight happens and no Gigs are stolen.
If an attack ends while an effect or pending effect is resolving, finish resolving that effect or pending effect.
When an attack ends, resolve any pending effects that are already pending for the current timing window.
After an attack ends and all effects and pending effects for the current timing window have resolved, remove effects that last “while attacking,” “while stealing,” “while fighting” and variations thereof. The turn player’s Main Phase continues.