Highlander the Card Game Rules & Policy
This page contains the official rule books for Highlander the Card game 2nd Edition as well as Type 1 and some other helpful guides. This page will also contain proposed rules updates and errata as they are released. Proposed rules updates have a 2 week induction period and are not considered official until that date.
If a Proposed Rules Update is listed in Red it means it's not official yet. If it's listed in Green, the update is now considered official even if it's not in the downloadable PDF. Any proposed rules updates listed in green will get added to the PDF rule book in the near future.
03/20/2024 RULES UPDATE
CONTROL - Controlling a card refers to an In-Game card that is in play. Taking control of a card in most cases refers to an In-Game card in play, however, there are cards in the Game that take control of cards from other sources (They will be specified in the text of the card).
CUMULATIVE - In most cases, if you have multiple copies of the same card in play, you only get the benefit of one unless it has the word "Cumulative" in the Sub-Category or it states it in the Text. Cumulative effects apply only to In-Game cards unless specified on a Pre-Game.
Add to Prone entry - Prone is a cost effect, but unlike other cost effects, it does not have the COST keyword.
Exhaustion By Your Opponent's Effects -
In the scenario that your opponent has targeted you with a Burn effect over 5 cards, Draw effect over 5 cards, an effect forcing you to Exert more than 5 cards, or an effect allowing your opponent to Exert over 5 cards from your Endurance, and during the effect you Exhaust, the effect ends. At the moment you Exhaust, you immediately go through the process of Exhaustion. Then, you resume play.(Note: If the effect is less than 5 cards and you exhaust during the effect, you go through the process of exhaustion, and then resume to finish the effect.)
Dark Quickening Pregame List of Alternate Personas NOT usable -
The following Alternate Personas CANNOT be used with the Dark Quickening Pregame (IE, placed under Dark Quickening)
Amanda - RAVEN-029 & RAVEN 029.1
Amanda - R2015-033
Connor Macleod SPP004 & CVS-001
Death - SPP009
Hugh Fitzcairn - R2016-036
Famine -SPP014
Kurgan - R2016-036
Methos - CH2017-05
Richie Ryan - R2014-33
Richie Ryan - PP2022-010
Pestilence - SPP015
Sunda Kastagir - R2016-035
War - SPP010
*An alternate persona is a Persona other than the original printed persona for that Immortal. A good example would be Amanda. There are 3 Personas for Amanda.
The original Persona (HS1-237) and 2 Alternate Personas (RAVEN-029 & R2015-033) that were released in later sets (the Raven set with Nick Wolfe) and a Prize Pack.
ERRATA
Colin Macleod - Persona (HSFV-261) - bugged
Your opponent's Maximum Hand Size is reduced by one for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game. You may discard a {E} from your Hand to block a Ranged Attack.
Amergan - (HSFV-037) - S2 - E
ILLUSION: IMMORTAL ALLY: MENTOR
DISCARD: Your opponent must discard a card from their Hand for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game.
REMOVAL: Remove this card from the Game after use.
RETRIEVE: During your May Do/Must Do Phase, if this card is removed from the Game, you may make a Hard Exertion to place it on top of your Endurance.
Blind Rage - (HSFV- 038) - MC Attack - S
SPECIAL ATTACK - 1
This attack does an additional point of damage for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game (Max 3).
Combination - (HSFV- 039) - R
EVENT
You may play an additional attack for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game (Max 3).
Dahlia - (HSFV-05P) - R2 - E
SITUATION: MORTAL ALLY
Choose one.
-TRIGGER / REMOVAL: If Dahlia is in play, remove Dahlia from the Game to remove an Immortal Ally in play from the Game.
-TRIGGER: Remove Dahlia from play to remove a Mortal Ally from play.
Dahlia - (HSFV-040) - R2 - E
SITUATION: MORTAL ALLY
TRIGGER / REMOVAL: If this card is in play, remove it from the Game to remove one Ally your opponent has in play from the Game.
Deborah - (HSFV-041) - R2 - E
SITUATION: MORTAL ALLY
You may play an additional attack for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play under your control and has been removed from the Game (Max 3).
REMOVAL: If this card is removed from play, immediately remove it from the Game.
Eternal Love - (HSFV- 042) - R
EVENT
You must have a unique In-Game Ally you had in play that is currently removed from the Game to play this card.
RETRIEVE: Return one unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game to your Hand.
REMOVAL: You may remove one Ally in your Hand from the Game.
Inspiration - (HSFV- 044) - T - Diamond Icon
EVENT
DRAW: Draw a card for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game.
You may play an additional Special Card this turn.
Master's Attack - (HSFV-047) - R2 - MSS
SPECIAL ATTACK - 2/4
This attack may be a Power Blow without an Exertion.
COST: Your opponent must discard a defense for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play that has been removed from the Game to play a dodge from their Hand against this attack.
Moya - (HSFV- 049) - R2 - E - bugged
SITUATION: MORTAL ALLY
Whenever you make an Attribute Check, add one to the result for each unique In-Game Ally you had in play and has been removed from the Game.
REMOVAL: If this card leaves play, remove it from the Game.
Clan Tartan - (LG2- 010) - S2 - S
OBJECT
Whenever you play or put into play a Location, you may take one Ally from your Hand, and put it into play.
REMOVAL: Remove the Ally you put into play by the effects of this card, from the Game. Remove this card from play.
This card can not be the target of Retrieval effects.
Vengeance - (HSFV-052) - R4 - S
EVENT
You may only play this card if your opponent removed one of your In-Game Allies from play during their last turn.
Play in conjunction with a non-Special Attack. That attack cannot be blocked or dodged.
Divine Intervention - 2 - EVENT - R2014-035 - R
EVENT
TRIGGER / REMOVAL: If this card is in play, you may remove it from the Game.
If you do, you may immediately copy and activate one non-Persona, non-Weapon of Choice Pregame controlled by either player.
Ignore any requirements of the Pregame chosen by this effect.
The Pregame selected is NOT affected by the effects of this card.
Dark Quickening / 2018-999
Before the game begins, place a persona card you are not playing under this card.
At the end of your draw/discard phase you may choose to use the persona power under this card instead of the persona power you are playing as.
This effect lasts until your next draw/discard phase.
This is not a capture effect.
This card does not affect your ability score.
This card cannot be used with Corda and/or Reno, Michael Moore/Quentin Barnes, or any Alternate Personas listed in the Rulebook.
If this is the only Quickening in your Pre-Game, you do not lose this card to your opponent if you lose your head.
Spare Blade - (PVG-029) - S2 - R
OBJECT: HILT
You may only include this card in your deck if you are using the Swiss Long Sword Weapon of Choice.
When making a Hard Exertion from your Endurance, you may continue exerting past the maximum exertion size until you find the card or gem you are looking for.
If you Exhaust using this effect, this effect ends.
11/25/2023 - RULES UPDATE
These proposed rules updates and errata will be included in the next version of the rulebook. These updates will become official after the 2 week induction period from this posted date. If the text above is green, it means you are reading this past the induction period and these rules are official. These rules have also been posted on the Blood Of Kings Facebook Page and the Proboards group.
2023 Type One and Type Two Rules Update #3
OTHER GAME ASPECTS
- If you cannot play a non-special attack from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for a non-special attack.
- If you cannot play a special attack from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for a special attack.
- If you cannot play a specific type of attack from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for the specific type of attack.
- If you cannot play a block from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for a block.
- If you cannot play a dodge from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for a dodge.
- If you cannot play an Illusion from a Hard Exertion due to an in-game or pre-game effect, you cannot make a Hard Exertion for an Illusion.
- "Legal"
When an effect refers to playing a legal card, it pertains to playing cards that would be legal for the Persona and W.O.C.(s) you are using.
- "As If From an Exertion"
If you are playing a card with the text "As if from an Exertion", it does not take away your ability to make one Hard Exertion per turn. However, when and/or if you do not have a Hard Exertion available to make during your turn, you cannot use the "As if from an Exertion" effect of the card, otherwise the card is treated normally.
- The Flock and Personas affiliated with the Flock
If you are using the Flock Persona, you cannot use the Jacob Kell, Faith, Jin Ke, Manny, Cracker Bob, Winston, Carlos Quickenings, or the (Jacob Kell, Faith, Jin Ke, Manny, Cracker Bob, Winston, Carlos) Persona with the Dark Quickening.
If you are using the Jacob Kell, Faith, Jin Ke, Manny, Cracker Bob, Winston, or Carlos Persona, you cannot use The Flock Quickening or The Flock Persona with the Dark Quickening.
- James Horton Persona
You cannot use the James Horton Persona with the Dark Quickening.
ERRATA
- Combination (HS2-257) Rebecca Horne / Agility
EVENT You may play an additional attack for each Crystal in your Pre-game (Max 3).
- Warrior Stance (LG2-021) Kanzashi / Agility / 2
SITUATION: STANDING DEFENSE
If you play only one Kanzashi specific attack during your turn, up to three Basic attacks you play during your turn lose their text and damage values and gain the text and damage values of the Kanzashi specific attack.
- Watcher Pregame (PP2022-002)
This Pre-game allows you to include Watchers in your Deck.
Once during your turn, you may choose one Key Word.
*BURN
*RETRIEVE
*COST
*ALLOWANCE
*RESTRICTION
*TRIGGER
*REVEAL
*DISCARD
*REMOVAL
*DRAW
*CAPTURE
*LOSS
One effect controlled by your opponent that contains the Key Word chosen is nullified until the end of your turn.