[STASIS ILLUSTRATION]
Stasis and stasis counters were introduced in the Excellent Movies, Dudes! set. Placing a card in stasis is simply placing a card face-up in front of you, with some amount of stasis counters on it. The number of stasis counters indicates the number of round of turns the card remains in stasis, with their controller removing a stasis counter from each of their cards in stasis at the start of their turn. When a card has its last stasis counter removed, their controller are allowed to play it during their Play Cards phase.
Backtimers is the only faction that uses this mechanic.
Rules[]
- Main article: Rules
Placing a Card in Stasis[]
A card is placed in stasis as soon as any amount of stasis counters is placed on it if the card isn't already in stasis. Stasis counters are used to track the amount of time a card spends in stasis. You can only place stasis counters on a card when an effect tells you to place stasis counters on it. The card to be placed in stasis can be the card itself. Once stasis counters are placed on the card, the card is placed in stasis under the control of its owner; they then become its controller.
For example, when you play Help From the Past, you reveal it normally to all players (just like any card) and start resolving it. Because it says "Place three stasis counters on this card", you must do so and place three stasis counters on Help From the Past, placing that card in stasis.
Another example is Alternate Present, whose ability can be used by any player after they play their first minion there in a turn. When a player uses it, they can place stasis counters on any card from their hand, placing that card in stasis.
The game sometimes says of a card being placed in stasis that it "enters stasis".
To place a card in stasis:
Step 1. Choose an eligible card to place in stasis.
Step 2. Place the indicated amount of stasis counters on it.
Step 3. Place the card face-up in front of its owner.
Status of a Card in Stasis[]
Cards in stasis are considered "in play", though not on any base. Also, they are not part of any hand, deck, or discard pile.
Their abilities do not work, unless the card itself states that it has some ability while it is in stasis.
Notable examples:
- Sidelined Girlfriend has an ability while it is in stasis as indicated by its ability that starts with "Special: After a stasis counter is removed from this card".
- Letter From Another Time has two abilities that work in stasis -- the one that starts with "Special: When this card enters stasis" and the one that starts with "(Special:) When you play this card from stasis".
- Zany Prof's ability doesn't work if it is in stasis, despite it mentioning the stasis. That is because it doesn't specifically states that it works while the card is in stasis.
Targeting a Card in Stasis[]
While they are considered in play, cards in stasis cannot be affected by any ability unless the ability specifically says it can affect cards in stasis. Cards in stasis also cannot be "chosen" by ability, whether or not the rest of such ability affects the chosen card.
A notable exception to this is Copycat, which can copy abilities of other players' minions in stasis.
Effects of Card in Stasis[]
While cards in stasis don't have any abilities, they can still influence certain abilities. Namely, cards on bases that only care about there being cards "in play" (and not specifically on bases) might still have their abilities count cards in stasis.
Notable examples:
- Microbot Alpha has you consider your minions in stasis as Microbots, since that's not affecting them, and so Microbot Alpha itself gains +1 power for each of your minions in stasis as well.
- Spreading the Word allows you to play extra minions with the same name as a minion in stasis, since that's not choosing it.
- Copycat can copy the abilities of an opponent's minion in stasis, despite it asking you to choose such a minion.
- Mimic can has its starting power match the printed power of a minion in stasis if that power is the highest of any minion in play.
- Who Loves Ya, Baby? has you draw a card for your minions of power 4 or more in stasis.
- Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf are both negatively impacted by the presence of the other minion even if it is in stasis.
- Hawkeye’s Arrows allows you to play the drawn actions if Hawkeye is in stasis.
- Gobbo has you flip a coin for Gobbos in stasis too.
- Wish works if Genie is in stasis.
Playing a Card from Stasis[]
At the start of each turn, one stasis counter is removed from each of your cards in stasis. Additional stasis counters can be added or removed as specified by abilities.
Cards in stasis may not be played or leave stasis except as described by the following rules:
- If a card in stasis has no stasis counters on it, during your Play Cards phase, you may play it as an extra card, and it leaves stasis. Follow any instructions on the card for leaving stasis and then discard it unless instructed otherwise.
- Cards leaving stasis cannot immediately re-enter stasis.
- At the end of each turn, discard all your cards in stasis that have no stasis counters on them. These cards leave stasis and leave play.
Madness Cards in Stasis[]
When playing with Madness cards, it is indeed possible to place them in stasis. However, at the end of the game, Madness cards in stasis still count against their controller for the VP penalty.
FAQ[]
Questions on stasis[]
Q: If I place stasis counters on a card from my hand with an on-play ability, do I still solve that on-play ability?
A: No, on-play abilities are only resolved when their cards are played. You're only placing those cards into stasis, which is not playing them despite those cards actually ending up being in play.
Q: I play a card from stasis. Its on-play ability has me place stasis counters on it. Do I place stasis counters on it again?
A: No, when you play a card from stasis, you ignore instructions that would immediately put it back in stasis.
Rule: Cards leaving stasis may not immediately re-enter stasis.
Q: If I place stasis counters on a card I don't own, where does it go?
A: It goes in front of its owner. It is now part of their cards in stasis. If the card is a Treasure or a Monster, nothing happens as the stasis rules refer to owners and therefore do not apply to them.
Rule: Cards in stasis are placed face up in front of their owner.
Rule: Cards that refer to a card’s owner do not apply to monsters or treasures.