Timing Chart

share

This chart provides a detailed timing structure for all game steps and a number of frequently used card abilities. Use this information to determine the proper sequence of card abilities and game steps.

Text in black indicates game steps and text in GREEN lists common card effects and exactly when they happen.

Whenever two or more effects occur at the same time step on this chart, the order that those effects resolve in is determined by the active player. Note: Effects that use the term “each time” occur at the same timing point as effects that use the term “after.”

» Start of turn effects resolve.

1

Forge a Key

1. Check to see if you are able to forge a key.
2. If able, spend Æmber equal to the current forging cost and forge a key. If you forged your third key, you immediately win the game.

» "After a key is forged" effects resolve.

2

Choose a House

1. Choose which house will be the active house for this turn.

» "After you choose a house" effects resolve.

2. You may take all the cards from your archives and put them in your hand.

3

Play, Discard, or Use cards

You may perform these actions in any order and repeat them any number of times.

Play a Card

1. If your card is a creature, artifact, or upgrade, add it to your play area. If your card is an action, reveal it.
2. Resolve each Bonus Icon on the played card, top to bottom.

» “'Play” effects and “Enters play” effects resolve.

3. If your card is an action, place it in your discard pile.

Fight With a Creature

1. Exhaust the attacking creature and choose the creature it is fighting.

» “Before Fight” effects, Hazardous X, and Assault X resolve.

2. Each creature in the fight deals pending damage equal to its power to the opposing creature (see Damage Chart). Splash-attack X resolves. 3. Pending damage is prevented or reduced according to the Damage Chart, then damage is dealt to creatures simultaneously.

» If the attacking creature survived, its ”After Fight” effects resolve. “Each time a creature fights” effects resolve.

Reap With a Creature

1. Exhaust the reaping creature.
2. Gain 1 from the common supply.

» “After Reap” and “after a creature reaps” effects resolve.

Use an Action or Omni Ability

1. Exhaust the card with the Action: or Omni: ability.
2. Resolve the effects of the ability.

4

Ready Cards

1. Ready each of your exhausted cards.

5

Draw Cards

1. Draw cards until you have six or more in your hand (adjusting for chains or card effects).

» “End of turn” effects resolve.

Other

Damage

The following steps occur each time damage is dealt to one or more creatures:

1. If the creature has invulnerable or “cannot be dealt damage” all its pending damage is prevented.
2. If the creature is warded, all its pending damage is prevented and the ward is removed.
3. Each point of armor reduces the creature‘s pending damage by 1.
4. All pending damage not prevented becomes damage dealt to the creature. If a creature has damage equal to or greater than its power, it is destroyed.

Destroyed

The following steps occur each time one or more cards would be destroyed:

1. Cards are tagged for destruction.

» “Destroyed” effects resolve.

2. All destroyed cards are put into their owner’s discard piles. Battlelines immediately shift inward to fill destroyed creatures' places.

» “After a creature is destroyed” or “each time a creature is destroyed” effects resolve.

—KeyForge Master Rulebook v18, January 2025