Cactus Game Design Message Boards

Band
Last Updated: 8/23/2016 (v4.0.0)
Released: 7/26/2011

General Description
A band ability brings a character into battle to assist another character that is already in the battle.

How to Play
A band abilities target the cards that are to be brought into battle.
A band ability is instantaneous.

Default Conditions
● Targets must be in a territory or in holder's hand.
● A band ability can only target characters of the same alignment.
● Banding a character into battle causes the player on that side of the battle to control the character. If a different player normally has Permanent Control of the banded character, the player on that side of the battle gains Temporary Control until the character leaves battle.

Special Conditions
● A unique character can only enter the field of battle once per turn. A unique character in a battle is protected from entering another battle via a band ability while it remains in battle. A unique character in a battle that leaves the battle is protected from entering any battle via a band ability until the end of the turn.
● When a banding ability adds multiple cards into battle, add them in any order and activate them one at a time in the order the cards were added. Exception: Abilities that add other characters to battle activate after all other abilities on cards banded into battle.
Clarifications
● The phrase "add to battle" when used to exclusively add a character to a side of the battle where at least one other character of the same alignment is always present is a band ability.
● Copy and Convert abilities that allow a non-character card to become a character are not band abilities.
● Abilities that allow a second character to join the battle should be played as if they allowed an additional character to join the battle.
● The phrases “band with” and “join the battle” all mean “band to.”