Turn structure

Every turn has three phases, always in this order: the Preparation Phase, the Combat Phase and the Emplacement Phase.

No phase may be skipped, but nothing has to be done in any of them. The turn player ends each phase when they are done; after the Emplacement Phase, the opponent's turn begins.

In each player's first four turns, the turn begins with a choice for the Escalation Spiral (8.2.1).

Effects that last "this Turn" end when the turn ends. Effects that last "until the end of your Opponent's next Turn" end with the first turn of the opponent that begins after the effect; used in your own turn, that is the next turn.

A player can't take actions in the opponent's turn. They may only respond, with Fast effects and Ambushes, when a response window gives them priority (12.1.2).

The Preparation Phase begins with the turn player drawing one card. With an empty deck they draw nothing, and they are Decked Out (16.2.1).

Then the turn player may do any of these, in any order, as often as allowed:

1. arecruit one Soul (once per turn) (5.3);
2. bcast Events, one at a time (10.2);
3. cinvoke Realms (10.5);
4. dequip Armaments (10.3);
5. euse Activated Effects of their cards (11.1.2);
6. fspring Ambushes and use other Fast effects (12.1.1).

For an Event, an Armament or an Ambush, the rank that counts is the rank of the slot the Soul stands on, not the Soul's own rank.

ExampleA rank-0 Soul on a rank-2 slot may cast rank-2 Events, carry a rank-2 Armament and set a rank-2 Ambush.

While a battle runs or a response window is open, no new action can be started; only responses are possible.

In the Combat Phase the turn player's Souls may attack, one battle at a time (chapter 9).

Between battles the turn player may spring Ambushes and use other Fast effects (12.1.1). Events, Armaments and Activated Effects that are not Fast belong to the Preparation Phase.

In the Emplacement Phase the turn player may set Ambushes face down at their Souls' slots, as many as allowed (10.4.1).

No Fast effects can be used and no Ambushes sprung in the Emplacement Phase, by either player.

Setting an Ambush is not an effect, so the opponent can't respond to it.