Q2 Rules Update
It’s rules time, fellow Warlords!
We have a short and simple list of updates this quarter, including a couple of updates to our Tournament and Event Rules! There are just a handful that I want to highlight this time.
As always, you can find the Warlord Rules page with the the rules and changelogs here.
510.6. Some actions require that the character be spent as part of the cost of the action (usually, the action says “Spend Order:” or “Spend React:”). If it does not require spending, then a character may perform the action while spent and, if ready, does not become spent by performing it. “Spend Order:” is synonymous with “Order: Spend this character.” and “Spend React:” is synonymous with “React: Spend this character:”. If a character does not spend to pay the cost of an action, it would not be considered a “Spend Order” or “Spend React”.
The first update is to help clarify when a card does or does not count as a Spend Order for cards like Sister Amanda.
510.6 has been updated to clarify that actions phrased similar to “Order: Spend this character:” would be considered a Spend Order if the character performing the action does, in fact, spend as a part of the cost. For example, something like Cobbler’s Lane would be considered a Spend Order if the character performing it spends. This has long been a ruling from the days of the attack order being phrased as “Order: Spend this character:”, which we actually updated back to being phrased as a Spend Order with our original Rules Tome revision.
Similarly, if a character does not actually spend to perform an action, such as a Sutek using Viscous Goo, it would not be considered a Spend Order and you could not ready with Sister Amanda if you were performing it while spent.
507.1.10. If an action or effect states that a character enters play into a specific rank, as opposed to entering if it were a particular level (see rule 507.1.7), that character is not considered to be entering play as if their level was equal to that rank, nor would effects that allow it to enter as if it was a higher or lower level apply. Effects that state that the rank the character enters is increased or reduced could, however, apply.
507.1.11. If an action or effect states that a character enters play into a specific location, such as adjacent to another character, as opposed to entering as if it were a particular level or into particular rank, that character is not considered to be entering play as if their level was equal to the rank they enter rank, nor would effects that allow it to enter as if it was a higher or lower level or that reduce the rank it enters apply.
The second clarification I want to highlight is one that is likely to come up in Dragon Lord challenges in the coming weeks.
There are a handful of different ways a character might enter play irregularly, but they can generally be split into two camps: a specific rank, or a specific location. For example, Commander Retsov cuts a character into play adjacent to herself, which is a specific location. Dreq Qor-Teth, on the other hand, specifies that his Dragons enter play in the third rank, a specific rank.
507.1.10 and 507.1.11 were cleaned up a little to give better clarity to how reductions or the rank you enter will (or won’t) effect either situation. The short of it is that if that an effect specifies a location, you’re not going to be able to reduce or adjust that in any way. Likewise, if an effect specifies that a character would enter play into a specific rank and you have another effect that would allow the character to enter play “as if it were one level lower”, that sort of effect would not reduce the rank the character enters in. However, if you have someone like Dreq who specifies a rank for his Dragons to enter, and an effect like Swiftcloud that reduces the rank (not level) that a character enters, those will work together to put a Dragon into the second rank instead of the third.
3.5 “…Registered decklists record the original composition of each deck and starting army, as well as the configuration of that starting army…”
7.1 “…A player must use the same starting army, in the same configuration, for the first game of each match.”
Next we want to highlight an important clarification for deck registrations and starting armies in the Tournament and Event Rules.
While it was previously the case that your starting army must be the same in each of your first matches, it was not previously clear that this also extends to the configuration of that starting army, meaning left to right in your ranks the characters much be in the same order for each match. Granted, this is not overly likely to come up, and is generally only important for you first rank, but it is an important clarification nonetheless.
In plain terms, this means that if you decide to start with two Tunnel Vanguard and one Dress in your first rank, you must you the same configuration in the first game of each match. In the first game of your match you cannot decide that, since your opponent has a Veteran Bowman in their second rank with two-wound potential, and you really want that Dress to live, that you will switch the Dress to be in between the two Tunnel Vanguard when you had not been doing that previously.
8.2 “…With the exception of Out of Options, Tattered Armaments, and Coward, basic cards must be included in your starting army and may not be shuffled into your deck at the beginning of the game. For example, if you include Sarakian Sellsword in your deck it must be a part of your starting army in order to be included in your deck…”
The final update we want to highlight is also in the Tournament and Event Rules and is probably the most important.
While it had always been the intent, and was fairly obvious for the Warlords, we did not clarify in the initial draft of the Tournament and Event Rules that the only basic cards that can be shuffled into your deck (as opposed to being in your starting army) in a Limited event are Out of Options, Tattered Armaments, and Coward. In plain terms, if Miserean Scout, Freelance Cavalier, and Sarakian Sellsword are a part of your Draft or Sealed deck, they have to be in your starting army.
That brings us to the end of our Q2 2026 Rules Updates!
If you’d like to view those or any of the other changes this quarter please take a look at the Comprehensive Rules Changelog here and Tournament and Events Rules changelog here. As a further reminder, if you have a rules question please reach out using the “Ask a Rules Question” link on the Rules Page.
