Basic Rules

Z-G BASIC RULES

1. SETUP: Z-G is for 2-4 players, each with their own InterAction Figure™ and matching cards. Play anywhere. Anything and everything is terrain — build it out of books and boxes.

2. START: Pick any 3 cards from your deck. Place them, face down, on the table. This is your hand. Shuffle the remaining cards, which compose your deck.

3. IMPULSE: Find the Impulse (blue) number on each of your 3 ACTION CARDS. Arrange these numbers from highest to lowest (e.g., 7-5-3) and call out the resulting 3-digit number. Do not reveal your cards. The player with the highest overall Impulse poses their figure any way they like, anywhere in the arena. Then the next-highest places their figure, and so on. No figure may start more than 7 cards from the nearest foe. If a tie occurs, each player draws a random card from their deck and compares the Impulse number; highest number goes first.

* The first player begins their turn.

4. MOVE: First player picks (but does not reveal) 1 action card, then moves their figure a distance, measured in card lengths, up to the number of that card’s Move score. To plot your move, lay out a row of cards on the table (connect the arrows) so that the first card touches both of your figure’s feet. Move your figure along this path, then place your figure on the last move card and pose it any way you like, so long as both feet touch it.

* Once you lay a card, you can’t start over. That’s your move.
* You may use Move to climb up and down any surface as normal, card by card. Just lay the cards out, up and over.


5. ATTACK: After you move, you may attack a foe, if you're in range to do so. If your action card has Ø Range, you must be able to touch your foe’s figure with your attacking weapon. Read the name of your card’s attack, but don’t show the card to your foe. Then secretly choose which end you want to attack with. Place your card face down, with your attacking end facing the foe. Your foe then draws the top card from their deck, keeping it face down. The foe may examine their card unless you’re making a sneak attack (see Tactics). This card is your TARGET CARD. Your foe then SPINS the card such that a random end is placed toward you (after the spin, you may request a half turn). Flip over your cards and compare the ends by aligning the 2 cards so each of your 3 colored dots faces each of your foe’s dots. Then count the number of dots that match up by color, if any. This action is called a TEST. Whenever one of the pairs of dots has the same color, it's called a MATCH.

* No matches: Your attack misses. Discard your action card back into your deck and take your next action, if any.
* 1 or more matches: Check for strikes.

6. DAMAGE: Once you’ve determined matches, compare the cards’ blazes. Blazes are the white symbols on the dots. Matches without blazes are always strikes. If a target card dot has an armor blaze, this blocks the strike unless the attacking card has a corresponding armor piercing blaze on its opposing dot. If any target card dot has a weak point blaze and you have a matching armor piercing blaze, the match counts as 2 strikes. If you have an explosive blaze and the opposing dot has a weak point, you ALWAYS score a strike (even if you don’t have a match or the weak point is covered by armor). Double armor blazes can be broken only by double armor piercing arrows.
Now compute how many strikes you get, then look at the chart below:

* 1 Strike: TARGETLOCK: No slag, but you may target this card again with your next attack (this turn only).
* 2 Strikes: SLAG TARGET CARD: Foe removes part from figure and card from play, discarding the card into their slag heap.
* 3 Strikes: SLAG & ATTACK AGAIN: Slag card, draw another target card from foe’s deck, attack again with the same card. (4 or more Strikes: Foe is also stunned; see Powerups.)
If you slag a card, remove it from play and place in your foe’s slag heap. Then take the corresponding part off the figure. Slagged cards may not be used for the remainder of the game.
* After you play an action card, immediately return it to your deck; its pulse is done.

7. NEXT PULSE: Now play either of your remaining 2 action cards as you did the first, taking its move and then making its attack. After that, play your third and final card.

8. NEXT PLAYER: Now the second player (second-highest Impulse) takes their time 4-7. After this player finishes their turn, the next player takes all their actions, and so on.

9. NEW TURN: Repeat from 2. START until the winning conditions are met.

10.VICTORY: You win by defeating all of your foes. To defeat a foe, slag their Ulster card or reduce them to fewer than 3 zGear cards.

EXCEPTIONS

These are the core exceptions to the Basic 10 card deck.

1. CHARACTER CARD: This card represents you. It is not zGear and is not part of your deck — keep it to the side, in your control panel (see MODE CARDS). Use its special powerup once per turn, or sacrifice it to save a zGear card. A character card is used in basic play; advanced games use a Mode deck instead.

2. RANGED ATTACKS: Weapons with a Range number, such as guns, may attack foes at a distance. Lay out a number of cards, in a straight line, up to your Range score. If you reach your foe, you can attack them. You can’t start over if they are out of range; you must target some foe along that line of cards. You measure range and zone attacks from the muzzle of the gun or the edge of the weapon. If a zGear card has a Range number of Ø, it is considered a hand-to-hand (HtH) weapon, and the weapon itself must touch the foe’s figure for an attack to occur. Tip: Ignore height when measuring range; lay the cards flat.

3. LINE OF SIGHT: To attack a foe, the foe must be within line of sight. If, from your figure’s vantage point (the head), you can’t see any part of your foe, the foe is considered to be out of your line of sight, and you can’t attack them. Line of sight is not an exact science; compromise and conventions of play are key to play. Tip: Put your eye behind the head of your figure and call out what you see. Facing is unimportant; you're an action hero!

4. COVER: If your foe is partially concealed by a barrier — for example, their figure is crouched behind a wall or lurking around a corner — whatever gear can’t be seen by your figure (from the head) can’t be targeted. If that zGear card is drawn as a target card, the attack fails. Your own zGear can’t provide cover for your own zGear. Tip: Agree on what zGear has cover before making a test. In general, if you can't see 2 colors on the zGear, it's covered.

5. TERRAIN: After you start play, no player can move, add, or remove terrain — however, you can blow it up!! Just measure its two longest dimensions in card lengths (its "Mass") and that’s how many strikes it takes to pull it off the arena. For the purpose of targeting terrain ONLY, draw a card from your own deck. If you play on a table, decide if the edge is a WALL (figures can’t be forced off table) or a FALL (fall off and you’re out of the game).

6. BOLSTER: Some situations allow defenders to bolster their defenses. When bolstering, a defender gains +1 armor blaze on one dot. Declare the bolster before the test, but after the test you get to decide which dot has an extra armor blaze on it.

7. AUGMENT: Some situations allow attackers to augment their attacks. When augmenting, an attacker gains +1 armor piercing blaze on a dot of their choice. Declare before the test. After the defender decides their bolsters, if any, the attacker decides which dot gains +1 armor piercing.
Tip: Either an augment or a bolster can be added to a dot that already has armor or armor piercing.

8. RETEST: After making a test, some cards and situations allow the attacker, the defender, or both to "do-over" the test, respinning the card and applying the new result. When retesting, choose a single target card or attack card to which the retest applies. Each player may retest only once per test. (This means you!)

9. COUNTDOWN: If a player is taking too long with their turn, start the countdown. The player has 1 minute to complete their turn. You may also start the countdown after you’ve picked your action cards, giving the rest of the players 1 minute to choose their cards.

TACTICS

Rules options you can use to change the odds.

1. HIGH GROUND: When making a ranged attack, if your entire figure is above your foe’s head, your attack is augmented (+1 armor piercing). When making a hand-to-hand attack, if your figure is over your foe’s knee, your attack is augmented. You can jump down on your foe from above to get the +1 armor piercing on HtH attacks. If you don't have Z-G and jump down more than 1 card onto your foe you suffer knockdown.

2. SNEAK ATTACK: Don’t announce the name of your card’s attack (and don't let your foe examine their target card) if any of the following apply:
o You are the player with the highest Impulse and this is your first attack.
o You’re attacking from cover.
o You were out of line of sight when you began your action.
Note: You can't sneak attack with a card that you used last turn.

3. JUMPS: If you have the powerup Z-G, you may jump from ledge to ledge. As long as you start and end on solid ground and use a single Z-G card (or multiple cards, each with Z-G), you can cross over chasms.

4. FALLING: If you drop down rather than use movement to climb down a drop of more than 1 card in height, and your don’t have a card with Z-G in your hand, you are knocked down (see below). If you land on a foe, make a free attack with your last action card, but only to determine knockback (see below).

5. KNOCKDOWN: You score a knockdown if you knock back your foe:
o Into another figure at least 1 card away
o Into a barrier over 1 card away
o Off a ledge at least 1 card length high (see Falling).
Place a knocked-down figure on its back. That figure must spend 3 Move to stand up again. Any attacker may make a free retest when making a hand-to-hand or Zone attack against that figure.

6. DASH: If your character is equipped with 2 footgear of the same color, add +3 to the Move rating of the second footgear card played in the same turn.

7. FLAMEOUT: At the start of any turn, before players have chosen their cards, you can announce "flameout." This turn you may play each of your hand cards twice, for a maximum of 6 actions. If none of your foes is defeated by the end of the turn, you flameout and forfeit the game.

8. STANCES: You can pose your character to gain an advantage. Entering a stance costs Move. For example, if you play a Maneuvering Footgear card (Move 4), you may choose to move 1 card, then enter the Kneel stance (Move 3).

o KNEEL: Cost: 3 Move. Cannot be knocked back unless foe gets 3 strikes. May not move.
o ATTACK: Cost 3 Move. All your hand-to-hand attacks are sneak attacks. Maximum Move is 1 per card. Counters defensive stance (may attack hand).
o DEFENSE: Cost 3 Move. Foe may not attack your hand. Maximum Move is 1 per card. Counters attack stance (all HtH attacks are not sneak attacks).
o PRONE: Cost 3 Move. All your foe’s ranged attacks are augmented, but all foes’ HtH attacks vs. you are also augmented. Maximum Move is 1 per card.
o STAND: Cost 3 Move. Stand up from any other stance. No penalties, no bonuses.

ERRATA

* Scan is an Extra, not a Replace, powerup. It may be played in addition to, not in place of, an attack.
* The Reaction Armor Frontgear card should have the Knockback powerup printed on it.

RULE OF PRIME: If you and a foe can’t agree on a rule, then call for a test — both of you choose a card and pick an end. Match? - You decide. No Match? - Foe decides. (Or find a zMarshal!!)
RULE OF NULL: Unless another rule or a card directly contradicts a Basic Rule, the Basic Rule always stands.

WORDKEY

Action Card: The card currently in play.

Blaze: The white symbol inside the dot; determines whether a match becomes a strike.

Character: The deck of cards and zGear parts that defines your unique character. "Give ‘em a name."

Control Panel: The active Mode cards that are face up in front of you.

Deck: All your zGear cards not in hand or the slag heap. If a foe has no cards in their deck, that foe must draw target cards from their hand.

End: The two shorter sides of a zGear card.

Mode Deck: All the Mode cards your character has that are not yet in the control panel.

Slag: To remove a card from play. Your slag heap holds all your slagged cards and zGear.

Target: To attack a particular card.

Target Card: A card from your foe’s deck (or hand) that you are trying to strike.

Targetlock: To score 1 strike and thereby gain the opportunity to target the same card with a new attack.

Test: To make an attack by matching up dot sets.

zGear: Your equipment, represented by both a plastic part and a matching card.