Pirates move cards around the table keeping your opponents unbalanced. - AEG
You know what's better than roving the high seas? Roving anywhere you want. Pirates buckle their swashes in every port, and you'll walk the plank if you don't like it.
- - Core Set rulebook
The Pirates are one of the 8 factions from the Core Set.
Pirates roam all across the board, bully the weak, and gang up on the strong, anything to have all the plunder for themselves.
Other factions from the same set: Aliens, Dinosaurs, Ninjas, Robots, Tricksters, Wizards, Zombies.
Cards[]
The Pirates have the usual 10 minions and 10 actions. The total minion base power (not counting any abilities) is the usual 30 or an average of 3 per minion. They are also one of the rare factions to have received a titan from the TITANS Event Kit.
Among their actions, there are:
- 0 play-on-minion actions,
- 0 play-on-base actions,
- 10 standard actions (all of them affect one or more minions): Broadside (2x), Cannon, Dinghy (2x), Full Sail, Powderkeg, Shanghai, Sea Dogs, Swashbuckling,
- 1 action that directly increases a minion's power: Swashbuckling.
Minions[]
1x Pirate King - power 5 - Special: Before a base scores, you may move this minion there. FAQ
2x Buccaneer - power 4 - Special: If this minion would be destroyed, move it to another base instead. FAQ
3x Saucy Wench - power 3 - You may destroy a minion of power 2 or less on this base. FAQ
4x First Mate - power 2 - Special: After this base is scored, you may move this minion to another base instead of the discard pile. FAQ
Actions[]
2x Broadside - Destroy all of one player’s minions of power 2 or less on a base where you have a minion. FAQ
1x Cannon - Destroy up to two minions of power 2 or less. FAQ
2x Dinghy - Move up to two of your minions to other bases. FAQ
1x Full Sail - Move any number of your minions to other bases. Special: Before a base scores, you may play this card. FAQ
1x Powderkeg - Destroy one of your minions and all minions with equal or less power on the same base. FAQ
1x Sea Dogs - Name a faction. Move all other players’ minions of that faction from one base to another. FAQ
1x Shanghai - Move another player’s minion to another base. FAQ
1x Swashbuckling - Each of your minions gains +1 power until the end of the turn. FAQ
Titan[]
- (available in each Smash Up TITANS pack released with the TITANS Event Kit)
1x The Kraken - Special: After a base scores where you had a minion while this card is not in play, you may say “Release the Kraken!” to play this titan on the base that replaces it. Talent: Move this titan to another base. Other players’ minions there get -1 power until the end of the turn. Special: After this base scores, move one of your minions from here to another base instead of the discard pile. FAQ
Bases[]
Clarifications[]
Here are the official clarifications as they appear in The Bigger Geekier Box rulebook:
Dinghy, Full Sail: You can move the minions to different bases.
First Mate: This ability triggers each time the base First Mate is on scores; this can happen more than once per turn. The First Mate cannot move to the base that replaces the scored base.
Powderkeg: If you choose a minion that is immune to destruction, the other minions are still destroyed (unless also immune).
Sea Dogs: All the minions must start at the same base and move to the same base.
Swashbuckling: Its effects only apply to minions currently in play, not to minions played later in the turn.
Mechanics[]
One thing you should know is Pirates are not honorable fighters. They pick on weak power-2 minions. Pirate minions have the standard levels of minion power with a minor power boost action, but they play several dirty tricks to snatch victory where it seemed they were behind. Pirates have numerous ways to move minions between bases, mostly their friends but also some of their foes.
Strategy[]
Pirates are masters of the Bait and Switch technique of breaking bases, and its founders. What you do is disperse your minions out among bases you don't intend to break, then move those minions in a single turn to break a base. You don't want your opponents to notice what you're up to or capable of doing, and you want your minions to be in relatively safe positions. Pirates can move their own minions onto the target, or force enemy minions onto the target to help you break it.
The strategy behind destroying minions may seem simplistic and obvious, but the Pirates' restrictions to mostly minions of power 2 or less is a significant point that matters to their strategy. Within Smash Up's context of winning by breaking bases while in first place, low power minions usually don't break bases. High power minions do that. But what low power minions do do is build up standing power on bases, setting the foundation for a big burst of power that breaks the base (The Big Drop). Specifically targeting low power minions undermines those plans. The fact of the matter is Pirates are really bad at playing bursts of power in one turn. This is a case of weakening everyone else's strategies to enable you to pull off yours.
Minion Moves[]
Leading off from destroying minions, Pirates can actually do that and move a minion simultaneously when you play Powderkeg on a Buccaneer. This is Pirates' only method of destroying minions of power 3 or more.
Dinghy is your bread and butter for moving your minions. You get 2, so make them count.
Full Sail is a much more versatile card than Dinghy, and a plain and simple direct upgrade. The possibilities of Full Sail are vast. You can simply play it as a better version of Dinghy, rearranging all of your minions as you please. More significant, however, is the fact you can play it any time a base is about to score. That means when someone else breaks a base, if you have enough power available you can play Full Sail and steal the base, or if your minions there are serving no purpose towards earning you VP, you can move them away so they are not discarded. On your turn, you can play Dinghy to break a base, then play Full Sail moving all your minions away except those sufficient to secure the base, preserving your minions for later use, possibly immediately breaking a second base.
Let's not forget moving your opponents' minions with Shanghai and Sea Dogs. Typically having other player's minions on a base make it easier for you to break on your turn, but those players will get second or third place rewards. If you will have none of that, use these cards to move them away instead.
First Mate[]
Despite being power-2 minions, First Mates are arguably Pirates' most significant minions. They stick around after they help you break bases, sustaining your power total for potentially the remainder of the game. That is important for Pirates since they lack extra minion plays and large power bursts. In an extreme case, a stack of 4 boosted with Swashbuckling can easily bust multiple bases in one turn.
Because they are so long-lasting, your opponents will be motivated to hunt them down. Being only of power 2, First Mates are very vulnerable. Pirates have no abilities that can protect a First Mate, but should your partner faction provide protection and/or bonus power, that First Mate becomes a tremendous asset to your game.
Bases[]
Tortuga is weirdly worded. We would expect it to mean a minion from Tortuga may be moved to the new base, but careful examination of the scoring order shows that minions are discarded before the new base is drawn. Only a minion from a different base may be moved to the new base.
Pirate King has very niche synergy with The Grey Opal. If you wouldn't be the winner there when it breaks, sneak Pirate King over for a spare VP. He'll stay in play like a First Mate.
Synergy[]
Pirates like partner factions that amplify their strengths or cover their weaknesses. The partner might tie into Bait and Switch maneuvers, or make First Mates invulnerable.
- Steampunks: Help slip minions all over the board with large amounts of mobility. You can establish a "safe house" with Escape Hatch, or take Full Sail back to your hand and replay it. Just lots of options.
- Zombies: Protect your First Mates in a roundabout way, as well as your other minions. This combination has extraordinary sticking power on the bases.
- Mad Scientists: Igor provides a nice bonus similar in function to First Mate. Throw all your +1 power counters on First Mates! Just hope your opponents have no way to deal with this madness.
- Ninjas: They don't have to fight, right? Both of these factions are specialized at surprise moves that steal bases out from under opponents.
- Bear Cavalry: Double up on minion moves to outflank the enemy, plus Bears provide some protection.
- Tricksters: By discouraging your opponents from making plays, Pirates get protected. If killing your Gremlins benefits you in extra ways (e.g. Cave of Shinies) you can easily sacrifice them.
External Strategy Guides[]
- The Geek Profs: Smash Up Strategy - Pirates
- Calling All Titans: The Kraken
- KOTH #20: Pirate King
- Smash Up Action Awareness #42: Full Sail
- Smash Up Pirates Faction Review!
- Smash Up Tier List - Core Set: Pirates
FAQ[]
Questions on Pirate King[]
Q: The card says "Special" so I can play it outside of my turn, right?
A: "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of Pirate King, the condition is "before a base scores", which means that you can only activate it during the Score Bases phase of any turn, and more specifically during the step where before-scoring abilities can be used. Furthermore, it mentions that when activated, you may "move" it. Moving involves a relocation from one base to another, so Pirate King must already be on a base. So Pirate King is actually a Special card that can only be used when it is in play.
Rule: Moving lets you relocate a minion or titan from one base to another.
Q: Does moving it before a base scores change anything at all? Don't we only get VPs based on the power we had at the start of scoring?
A: Actually, the amount of VPs each player gets is determined by the power each player currently has when you are handing out VPs, so any before-scoring abilities (including this one) that affect how much power you have on the base will affect the amount of VPs you'll eventually get.
Rule: VPs are awarded according to the current power totals.
Q: Since cards in stasis are considered in play, can I move Pirate King from stasis to a scoring base?
A: No, while in stasis, the only abilities that can do anything are the ones that explicitly state that they do something there.
Rule: Abilities of cards in stasis do not work unless they refer to stasis.
Q: If an opponent played Tooth and Claw... and Guns on my Pirate King, can I move him to a base during the "before a base scores" phase?
A: No. You can try, but that will activate Tooth and Claw... and Guns, and Pirate King will fail to move. Since each "before a base scores" ability can only be used once per base, he'll have to wait for another base to use his ability.
Q: My Pirate King is on base A. Base B and C are ready to score. Base B is chosen to score, so I move my Pirate King to base B and get first place. My opponent plays a card and steals first place from me (e.g. Shinobi), can I decide to move my Pirate King to base C, which is also ready to score?
A: No. When you use Pirate King's ability, the only base you can move it to is the base that was chosen to score.
Rule: "There" means "the location just referred to on the card".
Questions on Buccaneer[]
Q: One of my cards tells me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. Sacrifice), or an opponent's card forces me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. Bear Hug), or a base's ability allows me to destroy one of my minions (e.g. R’lyeh), can I target Buccaneer? If so, is it destroyed? If not, does it stop the rest of the ability if there were more to it?
A: Short answer: Yes, no and it depends. Firstly, you can indeed choose any of your minions as long as it fits the card's requirement (e.g. if Buccaneer is on R’lyeh, you can target it with R’lyeh's ability, but you can't if it was on another base, obviously), but you must choose one if you have any in play and if it's a mandatory ability (i.e. there's no "you may"). Secondly, because it is targeted for destruction, Buccaneer's ability kicks in and immediately converts the destruction into a movement, so Buccaneer will not be destroyed, whether it can actually move or not. Lastly, you must finish resolving the card that was originally invoked. If the card was the kind of card that says "Destroy a minion to do Y" or "Destroy a minion. If you do, do Y", then the effect stated as "Y" can't be done at all, simply because in the end Buccaneer isn't destroyed. If the card says something else, such as "Destroy a minion. Do Y", "Destroy a minion and do Y", etc., the destruction isn't a pre-requisite so you resolve the rest of the card's ability.
Q: The card says "Special" so I can play it outside of my turn, right?
A: "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of Buccaneer, the condition is "if this minion would be destroyed", which means that you can only activate it at any moment where it is about to be destroyed. Destroying can only be done to a card in play, so Buccaneer must already be on a base. So Buccaneer is actually a Special card that can only be used when it is in play.
Rule: Destroying lets you remove a card that's in play and put it in the discard pile.
Q: If it is Entangled, what happens if something tries to destroy it?
A: You resolve each card in order. When you attempt to destroy the Buccaneer, its ability is triggered and it changes it into a move effect. Then, when Buccaneer tries to move, Entangled prevents it. So Buccaneer survives but can't move.[1]
Rule: "Can't" trumps "can".
Q: Is it immune to cards that return minions to your hand?
A: No. Returning a minion to its owner's hand is not the same as destroying it.
Rule: Specific words are not synonymous no matter how similar they seem.
Q. After a base scores, you're supposed to discard your minions there. Can I use its ability to move it to another base?
A: No. When you discard your minions after the scoring of a base, the minions are not "destroyed". They are "discarded".
Questions on Saucy Wench[]
Q:
A:
Rule:
Questions on First Mate[]
Q: The card says "Special" so I can play it outside of my turn, right?
A: "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of First Mate, the condition is "after this base is scored", this means that you can only activate it after its base is scored, "its base" being the base it is currently on. Obviously, if First Mate isn't in play, there's no "this base" that the condition can refer to. So First Mate is actually a Special card that can only be used when it is in play.
Q: When is my First Mate moved with its ability?
A: After its base scores, First Mate's ability is triggered during the step where the players can play/invoke after-scoring abilities. But, that's just when its controller can decide to activate it or not. If they choose to activate it, nothing happens for the moment. However, when the players move on to the step where the cards on the base are all discarded, that's when the First Mate is moved instead of being discarded.
Q: Does Mindraker immobilize my First Mates?
A: Nope. The designers may have intended it to, but Mindraker says you can't play specials; First Mate would already be in play.
Rule: Specific words are not synonymous no matter how similar they seem.
Q: What happens after a base scores where there is a First Mate, with Entangled in play?
A: While activated during the after-scoring step, a First Mate's ability is eventually resolved during the step where all the cards on the base are discarded. So if all the cards are discarded, Entangled stops working and First Mate can move.[1]
Q: Regarding the previous question, after a base scores, does it also work for a First Mate there with My Only Weakness! on it?
A: No. Remember, you can only decide if a First Mate will move during the step where all after-scoring cards are resolved, and a First Mate which is "programmed" to move will only do so during the step where all cards on the scored base are discarded. In the case of My Only Weakness!, since the First Mate's ability is cancelled, you can't "program" it to move, so when the cards are discarded, the First Mate won't move and will be discarded. It can only have a chance to move if you had the opportunity to activate it when it was possible. Since you couldn't, it won't move. In the case of Entangled, Entangled doesn't prevent you from programming a First Mate to move.
Q: If one or more First Mates move to another base by its ability, and that base also reaches the breakpoint, does it score? If it does, can said First Mates use its ability again?
A: Yes, that base will also score. And yes, you can use those First Mates' abilities again.
Q: After a base scores, can I move my First Mate to the base that replaces it?
A: No, the First Mate is moved before the new base is drawn, so you can only move it to the other bases.
Rule: Check the steps for Phase 3.
Q: If another player takes control of my First Mate (e.g. Kitty Cat cards, Make Contact), who decides how to use its ability?
A: The First Mate's controller is the one who decides whether it's discarded or moved to another base. If they decide to move it, it's still them who chooses the base the First Mate is moved to. If they decide to discard it, it goes to your discard pile, not theirs.
Rule: "You" on a minion, action or titan means the controller of the card.
Q: After a base scores, I move my First Mate to another base. What happens to the actions attached to it?
A: They remain attached and follow First Mate to its new base.
Questions on Broadside[]
Q: Does Broadside destroy minions of power 2 or less all at once, or does it destroy them one at a time and check each time whether they meet the condition?
A: They are all destroyed at the same time. You first evaluate the power of each of that player's minions, and then destroy all the ones with power 2 or less at the same time. If that reduces the power of their other minions to 2 or less, they aren't destroyed.
Rule: When a single effect makes one player affect multiple cards, they are all affected at the same time.
Q: It applies to a base "where I have a minion". Can I apply it to a base where I just have a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, i.e. I "have" it, right?
A: No. "Where you have a minion" means "where you control at least one minion (whether or not you own it)". Minions you just own but don't control don't count.
Q. Does "a base where you have a minion" mean "one base where I have exactly one minion", "one base where I have at least one minion", "any number of bases where I have exactly one minion", "any number of bases where I have at least one minion"?
A: It's "one base where I have at least one minion". The game isn't very consistent in its wording, but usually when it tells you to target "a thing", it's exactly one such thing, while if something requires you to "have a thing", it means one or more.
Rules: N/A
Q. Can I destroy my own minions with Broadside?
A: Yes. "Destroy all of one player's minions of power 2 or less on a base where you have a minion." Generally, the word, "other" will be used when it wants to exclude you from something. You meet the card's requirement as "...one player's".
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it (and it can copy it even if its power is more than 2), Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 2), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that if several minions are destroyed, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
- If We are Family copies it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion it is on is more than 2), the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it destroys one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 2), the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that if several minions are destroyed, Funky Town only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
Questions on Cannon[]
Q: If there's a power-2 Jumper with a boosted power-3 Pinkie on the same base, can I use Cannon to first destroy Jumper, and then Pinkie because its power dropped to 2?
A: No, just like Broadside, the minions you choose must be destroyed at the same time. So, first, you choose up to two eligible minions (Pinkie being at power 3 isn't eligible). And then, you destroy the chosen minions.
Rule: When a single effect makes one player affect multiple cards, they are all affected at the same time.
Q: Can I destroy a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it (and it can copy it even if its power is more than 2), Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 2), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that if the destroyed minions are on the same base, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
- If We are Family copies it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion it is on is more than 2), the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it destroys one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it (and it can copy it even if the power of the minion that gets the copy is more than 2), the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed. Note that if the destroyed minions are on the same base, Funky Town only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
Questions on Dinghy[]
Q: It tells me to move "my minions". Can I choose a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: Do the minions need to be on the same base?
A: No. And they don't have to move to the same base either.
Q: Can I move a minion from stasis to a base?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: After a base scores, can I play Dinghy to move two of my minions there to another base instead of discarding them?
A: No. Dinghy isn't a Special action so it can only be played during your Play Cards phase. If you're resolving the scoring of a base, it means you're no longer in the Play Cards phase.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If both minions were moved away from Diva's base, choose one of them to follow.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion, that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If both minions were moved away from Dancing King's base, choose one of them to follow. Note that if the moved minions were from the same base, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to move only one additional minion, not one per affected minion. Also, note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion not controlled by that player.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If both minions were moved away from the minion's base, choose one of them to follow. Also, note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion not controlled by that player.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if it moves one of your minions away from Funky Town, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If both minions were moved away from Funky Town, choose one of them to follow. Note that if the moved minions were from the same base, Funky Town only triggers once and allows you to move only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
Questions on Full Sail[]
Q: Do the minions need to be on the same base?
A: No. And they don't have to move to the same base either.
Q: I have minions on a base that's scoring, so I can just move all of them elsewhere and still get the VPs for that base, right?
A: Be careful, the amount of VPs each player gets is determined by the power each player currently has when you are handing out VPs, so any before-scoring abilities (including this one) that affect how much power you have on the base will affect the amount of VPs you'll eventually get.
Rule: VPs are awarded according to the current power totals.
Q: Before a base scores, an opponent plays this card and removes some of their minions from that base, reducing the total power below the breakpoint. This ends the scoring, right?
A: You're mistaken here. Once a base has been chosen to score, you keep scoring it even if the total power on it drops below its breakpoint because of before-scoring abilities. (Only a couple of things can really prevent a base from scoring, but this isn't one of them.)
Q: Can I move a minion from stasis to a base?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: If minions move around during the "before a base scores" phase, can multiple bases break in one turn? For example, I use Full Sail.
A: Yes. After you are done resolving the scoring of the current base, you check to see if there's any base left that can score. That can happen if minions are moved during the scoring of a base. See Phase 3 for how multiple bases can break in one turn.
Q: When played as a Special, is it limited to the minions on the scoring base?
A: No, you can move any of your minions from any base to any other base, not just the scoring base.
Q: If another player has control of some of my minions (e.g. the Kitty Cats, the Elves, the Ignobles), can I still move those minions with Full Sail? I don't control them but I "own" them, so they are "my" minions, right?
A: No. Full Sail only allows you to move the minions you are controlling.
Q: Before a base scores, I play Full Sail to move my minions away from that base, bringing the total power below its breakpoint. Does the base stop scoring?
A: No. Once a base has been chosen to score, even if the total power there changes during the before-scoring step, the base keeps scoring.
Q: I have two Pinkies in play. Each one alone on a different base. There's an enemy Cub Scout on a third base. I play a Full Sail and move my two Pinkies to Cub Scout's base. Are they destroyed?
A: No, you finish resolving Full Sail before resolving Cub Scout, so once Full Sail is done resolving, both Pinkies are on the same base and are therefore 3 power each.
Q: Is this still a standard action if I play it through its Special ability for the Disco Dancers and Funky Town?
A: Yes. A standard action is an action that doesn't remain in play after being played. Full Sail doesn't remain in play when played, whether it's played normally or as a Special, so it IS a standard action no matter what.
Q: Can I play it from stasis before a base scores?
A: No, while in stasis, the only abilities that can do anything are the ones that explicitly state that they do something there.
Rule: Abilities of cards in stasis do not work unless they refer to stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - There's no point for Diva to copy the movement because Diva can be moved directly by Full Sail anyway.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If several minions were moved away from Dancing King's base, choose one of them to follow. Note that if several minions were moved from the same base, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to move only one additional minion, not one per affected minion. Also, note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion not controlled by that player.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. If several minions were moved away from the minion's base, choose one of them to follow. Note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion not controlled by that player.
- There's no point for Funky Town to copy the movement because all your minions can be moved directly by Full Sail anyway.
Questions on Powderkeg[]
Q: If I choose a creature that "can't be destroyed" or has a similar ability, does Powderkeg still destroy minions?
A: Yes. If you have a minion that can't be destroyed, it is still an eligible target for Powderkeg. In that case, it is not destroyed, but all other minions there with equal or less power are still destroyed. The destruction of the minions are not conditioned to the destruction of your minion.
Q: It tells me to destroy "one of my minions". Can I destroy a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed, regardless of Diva's power. Note that the part that destroys "all minions with equal or less power on the same base" only refers to minions with equal or less power than the minion directly destroyed in the previous part, so destroying Diva can't trigger more destruction of minions of equal or less power.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed, regardless of the minion's power. Note that the part that destroys "all minions with equal or less power on the same base" only refers to minions with equal or less power than the minion directly destroyed in the previous part, so destroying the extra minion can't trigger more destruction of minions of equal or less power. Also, note that if several minions are destroyed, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed, regardless of the minion's power. Note that the part that destroys "all minions with equal or less power on the same base" only refers to minions with equal or less power than the minion directly destroyed in the previous part, so destroying the extra minion can't trigger more destruction of minions of equal or less power.
- With Funky Town, you can only copy it if you're the one who played the action and if you destroy one of your minions, but if Funky Town does copy it, the minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is destroyed, regardless of the minion's power. Note that the part that destroys "all minions with equal or less power on the same base" only refers to minions with equal or less power than the minion directly destroyed in the previous part, so destroying the extra minion can't trigger more destruction of minions of equal or less power. Also, note that if several minions are destroyed, Funky Town only triggers once and allows you to destroy only one additional minion, not one per affected minion.
Questions on Sea Dogs[]
Q: Do the moved minions all go to the same base?
A: Yes. The card text says to move all the relevant minions from the chosen base to "another", i.e. to one other base.
Q: Does Sea Dogs affect all minions of a faction on any base or just a single base?
A: From the official FAQ[2]: "You choose a faction, then choose a base. Move all minions of that faction from that base to any one other base. This may target opposing players’ minions." This description is missing the stipulation that you can only move other players' minions with this ability.
Q: Can I use Sea Dogs to move my own minions?
A: No, because Sea Dogs only works on other players' minions.
Rule: "Other players" on a minion, action or titan means everyone except the controller of the card.
Q: Can I name my own faction?
A: Yes. There's no restriction on which faction you can name, but keep in mind that your minions won't move. This might actually do something useful if Make Contact or a similar ability is in play or if someone else chose the same faction as you.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. Note that it works even if Disco Dancers weren't the named faction. Also, note that you don't get to name a second faction just because you copied the move effect; when you're able to copy the movement, you've already named a faction so you don't go back.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. Note that it works even if Disco Dancers weren't the named faction. Also, note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player's opponents, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion controlled by that player. And note that even though several minions are moved, Dancing King only triggers once and allows you to move only one additional minion, not one per affected minion. Finally, note that you don't get to name a second faction just because you copied the move effect; when you're able to copy the movement, you've already named a faction so you don't go back.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. Note that it works even if Disco Dancers weren't the named faction. Also, note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player's opponents, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion controlled by that player. And note that you don't get to name a second faction just because you copied the move effect; when you're able to copy the movement, you've already named a faction so you don't go back.
- It is impossible for Funky Town to copy that action's effect because you can only directly affect opponents' minions, which won't trigger Funky Town.
Questions on Shanghai[]
Q: Can I move a minion from stasis to a base?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - If Diva copies it, Diva is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. Note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player's opponents, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion controlled by that player.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and is moved to the same base. Note that while the action is restricted to a minion controlled by the action player's opponents, the effect's copy still works if applied to a minion controlled by that player.
- It is impossible for Funky Town to copy that action's effect because you can only directly affect an opponent's minion, which won't trigger Funky Town.
Questions on Swashbuckling[]
Q: It gives +1 power to "my minions". Does it also give +1 power to a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: If I play Swashbuckling and then play another minion afterward, does the new minion get +1 power from Swashbuckling ?
A: The official answer is yes[3].
A: UPDATE. The Bigger Geekier Box now rules that it only increases the power of minions currently in play at the time the card is played, and not the power of minions played afterwards.
Q: I play Swashbuckling and boost my minions. If an opponent manages to take control of one of my minions before Swashbuckling expires (e.g. The Base Is Not Enough, Can Has Cheeseburger?), does the minion keep its boost?
A: No. Swashbuckling only boosts your minions. If one of them is later controlled by another player, it's no longer your minion and Swashbuckling doesn't affect it anymore.
A: UPDATE. Because of how The Bigger Geekier Box now rules this card, Swashbuckling should be treated as giving the +1 power to all your minions as a definitive effect, so the restriction that only your minions are affected only matters when Swashbuckling is played. Afterwards, if the minion's controller changes the +1 power still remains applied to it until the end of the turn.
Q: Can I use Swashbuckling to boost a minion in stasis?
A: No, cards in stasis cannot be affected by cards that do not explicitly state they work on cards in stasis.
Q: An opponent's Magic Ward is on a base where I have minions, can I play Swashbuckling and boost them?
A: Sure. Magic Ward only prevents "play on a base" actions from being played there, but Swashbuckling isn't played on a base, so Magic Ward does nothing to it.
Q: How does this interact with the Disco Dancers' mechanic and Funky Town's ability?
A: - Diva can't copy it because it would already be directly affected by it.
- If Dancing King copies it onto a minion (it can be itself), that minion is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +1 power.
- If We are Family copies it, the minion it is on is considered as indirectly affected by the action and gets +1 power.
- Funky Town can't copy it because you need to be the one who played the action and so all your minions are already directly affected by it.
Questions on The Kraken[]
- Main article: Titans
Q: The card says "Special" so I can use it at any time, even outside of my turn, right?
A: Be careful, "Special" does not mean the card can be played out of turn. "Special" simply means that it's an ability that can be used when its condition is met. Whether it can be used out of turn, activated straight from your hand/discard pile, or if it can only be used when it's already in play (essentially being a synonym of Ongoing), it entirely depends on the wording. In the case of The Kraken's first Special, the condition is "After a base scores where you had a minion while this card is not in play", so you can play it after the scoring of a base on any player's turn and where you have a minion. So The Kraken can indeed be played on any turn, but only after a base scores where you have a minion and after doing your best Liam Neeson impersonation. In the case of The Kraken's second Special, the condition is "After this base scores", this means that you can only activate it after its base is scored, "its base" being the base it is currently on. Obviously, if The Kraken isn't in play, there's no "this base" that the condition can refer to. So that Special ability that can only be used when it is in play.
Q: I need to "have a minion". Do minions that I own but don't control also count? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, i.e. I "have" it, right?
A: No. "Where you have a minion" means "where you control at least one minion (whether or not you own it)". Minions you just own but don't control don't count.
Q: Why do I have to say "Release the Kraken!"?
A: Because The Kraken deserves a dramatic entrance. If you're unable or unwilling to do it, then nothing will happen.
Q: I have a different titan on the scored base where I have a minion. Since the titan will be removed from play when the base is replaced, can I then play The Kraken on the new base?
A: Yes. The Kraken allows you to play it, but it will only happen when the new base comes into play, at which point your previous titan is no longer in play and therefore no longer preventing you from playing The Kraken (don't forget to shout "Release the Kraken!" during the after-scoring step, otherwise The Kraken won't be permitted to come!).
Q: If They Say He’s Got to Go is used to move The Kraken, does other player's minion on the new base get -1 power?
A: No, the -1 power is given as part of the resolution of The Kraken's talent. If the talent wasn't used, then other players' minions don't get -1 power.
Q: I use The Kraken's talent to move it and give other players' minions on the arrival base -1 power. They Say He’s Got to Go is then used to move The Kraken. Do the other players' minions on the previous base lose the -1 power? Do the other players' minions on the new base get -1 power?
A: No and no. When the talent is used, it's already determined which minions get the -1 power. From then on and until the end of the turn, no matter what happens to The Kraken, whether it's removed from play or moved to another base, the -1 power remains applied to the same minions.
Q: Its second Special ability allows me to move "one of my minions". Can I move a minion I own that I don't control? I don't control it but I "own" it, so it's "my" minion, right?
A: No. "Your minions" are minions you control, whether or not you own them. A minion you own but don't control isn't yours.
Q: A base is chosen to score. I have no minions there, but I have The Kraken there. It is similar to a minion, right? So I can still get VPs from the base if 0 is among the top three total power, right?
A: No and no. The Kraken is a titan, not a minion. To be eligible to receive VPs, you must have at least one minion or at least 1 total power on the base. If you have no minions and your total power there is 0, then you can't receive any VPs from the base. Now, if The Kraken had any +1 power counters on it or gave you any total power (e.g. on Kaiju Island), then you would have at least 1 total power and be eligible. Otherwise, no.
Q: An opponent is playing with the Pirates. Their The Kraken isn't in play. A base scores and I have a minion there, I can then RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!! through its Special ability and play it on the new base, right?
A: No, only the player who has it next to their deck can play it.
Rule: Playable Special cards can only be played by their current possessor.
Q: Using its talent, my Kraken is moved to a base where another player has a titan and more power than me. Do their minions (and my other opponents' minions there) get -1 power? Or is The Kraken immediately removed from play? If I can give their minions -1 power and end up with more power than that player, is my Kraken still removed or is their titan removed?
A: A clash will indeed happen, but before the clash happens, you must finish resolving The Kraken's talent ability, so the -1 power is applied before the clash is resolved. If your opponent's total power ends up lower than yours, your Kraken wins the clash.
Q: My Kraken isn't in play. A base where I have minions scores, so I can play The Kraken there. Can I then move one of the minions I had on the previous base to another?
A: No, note the order of the different steps. After scoring the base, you first discard all the cards on the base, then discard the base, and finally you replace the base. The Kraken comes into play after the new base appears so your minions on the scored base are already out of play.
Rule: Check the steps for phase 3.
Trivia[]
- The artist is Francisco Rico Torres, who also designed the art of many other factions.
- The artist for the titan (which was released after The Core Set) is also Francisco Rico Torres.
- Their divider (available in The Big Geeky Box and The Bigger Geekier Box) features Pirate King.
- The Pirate King is a reference to the Disney's Peter Pan's Captain Hook, the One Piece series' Gol D. Roger and the real life pirate Blackbeard.
- The Grey Opal is a parodic name for The Black Pearl of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
- Tortuga is the name of a real-life island in the Caribbean, a key island during the real-world age of piracy and featured in many fictional pirate stories.
- The phrase "Release the Kraken!" is a reference to the film remake of Clash of the Titans where Zeus, portrayed by Liam Neeson, uttered that phrase.
In other languages[]
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 海盗 |
| Czech | Piráti |
| French | Pirates |
| German | Piraten |
| Greek | Πειρατές |
| Hebrew | פיראטים |
| Italian | Pirati |
| Japanese | 海賊 |
| Polish | Piraci |
| Portuguese | Piratas |
| Russian | Пираты |
| Spanish | Piratas |
| Turkish | Korsanlar |
| ||||||
| ||||