Card Clarifications, Rulings & Errata
Updated September 1, 2026
Absolute KO and Flip/Resurrection Mechanics Top ↑
Absolute KO ensures that a defeated character goes to the Defeated Characters Pile and the normal KO process is followed, including discarding placed cards to the character and effects attached or “paper clipped” to the character. It does not prevent resurrection from the Defeated Characters Pile. The practical implications are as follows:
Allen the Alien — When Allen the Alien is KO’d in any way, his KO is processed and he goes to the Defeated Characters Pile, and then is resurrected in reserve if “Near Death Experience” is in play. Absolute KO does not prevent the effects of Allen the Alien’s “Near Death Experience”, and that card lives in the Astral Plane rather than attached to Allen the Alien, so the effect is NOT discarded when processing the initial KO.
Immortal — When Immortal is KO’d in any way, he goes to the Defeated Characters Pile, and then is resurrected in reserve if “I Am Immortal” is in play. Absolute KO does not prevent the effects of Immortal’s “I Am Immortal” and that card lives in the Astral Plane rather than attached to Immortal, so the effect is NOT discarded when processing the initial KO.
Mauler Twins — Their Special card “My Brother” does not prevent Absolute KO. My Brother is attached or “paper clipped” to the Mauler Twins, so processing the KO includes discarding that effect. Because it is not a resurrection mechanic, Absolute KO will put Mauler Twins into the Defeated Characters Pile, and then “My Brother” has no effect.
Walkers: Herd — Their Inherent Ability does not prevent Absolute KO. Like Mauler Twins “My Brother” special card, this is not a resurrection mechanic. Absolute KO puts the Walkers: Herd character card into the Defeated Characters Pile, which prevents them from flipping over, and their Inherent Ability has no effect.
Allen the Alien — Friendly Manipulation Top ↑
Effectively immediately, the following section of the Comprehensive Rulebook is considered to be eliminated:
“NOTE: Sometimes characters have Special cards that “Act as” a Power card. These may be combined with Training cards as long as the Special card is 5 or less in a Power Type in which that character’s Power Grid is also 5 or less.” (Page 6 of the 2025 Comprehensive Rulebook).”
It will be replaced with:
“NOTE: Sometimes characters have Special cards that “Act as” a Power card. These may be combined with Training cards as long as the character’s power grid is currently less than 5 in the applicable Power Type. Special cards which “Act as” as Power card may prescribe a value that is above the character's normal grid. However, the Training card checks the Character’s Grid, not the Power card. In the case of Special cards that “Act as” an Any-power Power card, they must use one of the character’s grids to combine with Universe cards or other cards requiring a type”
To summarize, all Universe cards with grid requirements now check the character’s grid, and that’s it.
Allen the Alien’s “Friendly Manipulation” specifies that it acts as a 6 Intelligence Power card that he can use. A Training Universe card would check his Power Grid (at level 3, still low enough by default), and he may combine it with that Special card, as was specified in the character spotlight on YouTube.
The Flaxans “City Leveling Invasion” Acts as a Level 7 Any-Power Power card. Just like normal Any-Power or MultiPower Power cards, a grid should be specified when playing the card (if not, the Opponent can choose the type). As such, the Flaxans need to choose either their Energy or Intelligence grid to play this card. Their grids are 7 and 8 in Energy and Intelligence, respectively, so this card cannot be played with a Combat or Brute Force Training Universe. It can be combined with an Energy or Intelligence Basic Universe card.
Alpha and the Whisperers — Alpha Top ↑
Their Special card “Alpha” which Acts a a level 8 Brute Force attack does not need to be successful for the +3 to Venture Total to take effect. If the attack is unsuccessful or removed during the current battle, it goes to the Astral Plane - this is why the card has the conditional slash and then Astral Plane function icons.
Andrea — Aim Top ↑
When you discard "Aim" from play to make a Power card attack that cannot be defended, it is not considered to be ‘played with’ or ‘combined’ with the Power card attack. This is because “Aim” has already been played and is now being discarded from play to trigger the effect. Discarding “Aim” from play does not count as its own action, separate from the Power card attack, because discarding “Aim” triggers making the Power card attack which cannot be defended. The discard of “Aim” and the Power card attack occur in the same ‘loop’ of the battle mechanic.
The Opponent’s opportunity to deal with “Aim” defensively comes as it is being played; or offensively, it can be removed before it is discarded from play. It may not be avoided or negated as it is being discarded to trigger the effect.
Does Aim potentially work with or synergize with Pinpoint Accuracy?
No. “Pinpoint Accuracy” requires a Power card attack that it modifies to be the first action of the turn. “Aim” requires you to discard it first; and since discarding a card to trigger an effect is an action (battle mechanic to be updated to clarify this) – both effects cannot be triggered at the same time.
NOTE: Regarding “Aim”, if the attack which cannot be defended is shifted to a new target, it still may not be defended. Shifting it doesn’t ‘negate’ the effect of “Aim”. This is similar to the ruling on Anubis’ Special card “Lord of the Sacred Land” in that the “Aim” effect is put into play and executed first, unless a special card negate is played.
Atom Eve — Redirect Electrons Top ↑
“Redirect Electrons” cannot affect the language on Event cards. Event cards are played by the Player and/or Opponent, not by the ‘team’ - the ‘team’ is the 4 characters. It also cannot affect cards which are not played by a Character, such as Aspect cards.
Barsoom/Mars, Grid Boosts, and Fetches Top ↑
A grid boost (i.e., John Carter’s “Lower Gravity”) can be played with a Teamwork Universe card or other card, but only if the grid boost is required for the character to play the card.
If the Player is playing with Barsoom/Mars as their Homebase, this would trigger the fetch of a Power card. In this scenario, the Player MAY assume the success of the Power card fetch when playing the initial Teamwork, and can play the Teamwork even if the Player initially has no other playable Power card follow-up attacks available, placed or in hand. If the fetch is successful, the fetched Power card may then be used as the first or second follow-up attack to the Teamwork card, so long as it is legally playable by a teammate. If the Opponent negates “Lower Gravity” or any other grid boosting Special card, this would 1) stop the grid boost effect, 2) defend the Teamwork attack because it invalidates the attack, 3) prevent the fetch.
However, the Power card fetched cannot be used to attack in the same step / action as the fetch itself, because Barsoom/Mars does not permit the fetched Power card to be played ‘immediately’. For example, “Lower Gravity” may not be played as a follow-up to a Teamwork Universe card to boost the grid, fetch a Power card, and then play that fetched Power card all in the same step / ‘loop’ of the Battlemechanic.
Overall - you must have and declare / play everything you intend to play in each loop of the battle mechanic. You cannot fetch AND play a card at the same time UNLESS a card says a fetched card may be IMMEDIATELY played. See the battle mechanic, below:
NOTE: King Arthur’s “Heavy is the Head” Special card allows a fetched card to be played ‘immediately’, so it COULD be played as a Teamwork card follow-up to fetch a Special card such as Robin Hood’s “Band of Merry Men,” which acts as a Power card, if it is then immediately used as a legal follow-up attack. As above, the player is allowed to assume success of “Heavy is the Head” fetching and immediately playing an 'Acts as” Power card.
The Flaxans — Monstrous Leadership Top ↑
“Monstrous Leadership” does not need a function icon (like a half- or full-hourglass) because its effects are played and then resolved without a specified duration. Removing this as a hit or offensively negating this card would not undo the Flaxans’ movement to the Front Line, as it has already been played and processed.
This does mean that occasionally the Player may have 4 Front Line characters! Generally speaking, this is rarely a strategic advantage (4 Characters generally means more ability for the Opponent to score venture).
The Flaxans — Second Invasion Top ↑
This card should be considered to have the text “May be played from Reserve.”
Glenn's Inherent Ability Top ↑
Glenn’s Inherent Ability only applies to his ability to play Basic Universe cards. It does not allow him to play Power cards that his grid does not normally allow, even when he combines one with a Basic Universe card ignoring grid requirements according to his Inherent Ability.
The practical implication is that Glenn can use an 8 to use +3 Energy Basic Universe card, but only with an Energy Power card which Glenn’s grid allows him to normally play (i.e. level 1 or 2). Strategically, look for Glenn to be played with the GDA Battleground Any Character Special card “Shapesmith” to fully unlock his Inherent Ability’s potential!
God King Lore — The Nevermind Top ↑
“The Nevermind” cannot be avoided, but may be negated. It also cannot be shifted. The card affects the Opponent initially, with God King Lore choosing a Character; then if it is not declined or negated, it takes effect. To restate this - It DOES NOT target a character itself; it is played against the Opponent but affects a target character while in play.
If accepted, this paper-clips / attaches to the chosen characters. If rejected, it paper-clips / attaches to God King Lore until the venture is counted.
Leonidas — Baptized in Combat Top ↑
“Baptized in Combat” is played simultaneously with an attack or defense as a modifier. It does not start a chain where “Baptized in Combat” is played first and then the bonus is applied to a follow-up action. If it is negated defensively, the Combat numerical attack continues without the bonus.
The practical implication of this with an eye towards the Skybound set is that this cannot be used to follow up Robot’s “Predictive Tactics”.
Immortal — I am Immortal Top ↑
The “I am Immortal” Special card should be considered to have the Remainder of Game Full Hourglass function icon, rather than the half-hourglass icon.
Machine Head and His Gang — Isotope Top ↑
The ruling on “Isotope” is that under normal game conditions it may always be played defensively to shift 1 attack of the specified Power types, even if Machine Head and His Gang already have 2 or more hits. After the shift is completed, the Player checks whether the conditions for it to persist are present; if Machine Head and His Gang already have 2 (or more) hits, the effect is resolved and removed from play.
Maggie — The Widow's Leadership Top ↑
“The Widow’s Leadership” allows any teammate, including the Reserve character, to play 1 card as a follow-up action. The follow-up card cannot be modified by any other card(s) because the specified quantity of cards allowed is 1. A card played by the Reserve following “The Widow’s Leadership” does NOT need to be normally playable from Reserve (i.e., Cthulhu could play his “The Sleeper Awakens” Level 11 Any-Power attack Special card, or a Power card attack normally playable by him according to his grid).
However, any costs normally required to play a card from Reserve would remain (i.e., Victory Harben would still need to discard an Intelligence Power card to play her “Practical Physics” 7 Energy attack Special card as a follow-up to “The Widow’s Leadership.” Widow’s leadership does not modify or remove “Practical Physics” text, and the Reserve character is still in Reserve when they play their card).
NOTE: Anytime a special grants follow-up actions to teammate(s), the granted follow-ups may not start another string of attacks (this is the Cthulhu “Network of Fanatics” / Joan of Arc “Inspirational Leadership” ruling). Practically this means Widow’s Leadership cannot be used to create a large string.
Michonne — Post-Apocalyptic Lawyer Top ↑
Instead of being used as a numerical attack or defense, “Post-Apocalyptic Lawyer” may be discarded, whether placed or hand, to prevent any other card(s) belonging to the Player from being discarded by the Opponent. For example, besides the obvious use of being played defensively against a card like “Grim Reaper,” this can be played defensively to prevent an Opponent’s attempt to remove a hit from one of their characters; trigger their 221-B Baker/Ageis St. Homebase Inherent Ability; etc.
NOTE: If Michonne has “Walker Camouflage” in play and the Opponent attacks the Player’s team, Michonne is the one discarding “Walker Camouflage” from play to take a hit. “Post-Apocalyptic Lawyer” cannot be discarded instead to essentially use "Walker Camouflage" twice. If the Opponent tries to Negate or use a card like Hercules’ “Slaying the Hydra” to discard “Walker Camouflage”, then “Post-Apocalyptic Lawyer” may be used to protect it.
If a card both discards a card itself and then triggers 221-B Baker/ Ageis, “Post-Apocalyptic Lawyer” would prevent both/all discards.
“Who Killed the Guardians of the Globe” Mission set Event, “The New Guardians” Top ↑
Does this allow the reserve to play Allies?
Yes. It says “Any Character”. ‘Any’ truly means any, including the Reserve.
Omni-Man — Guardians of the Globe No More Top ↑
“Guardians of the Globe No More” does not affect Venture Total when a character is KO’d; any hits from current battle on a KO’d character are moved to the Astral Plane to be counted towards the Venture total at the end of the battle, according to normal KO rules.
Walkers' Inherent Ability Top ↑
The Walkers’ alternate art variant card #450 is missing the text that restricts their Universe card usage; this text should be present, and it should read identical to the Walkers’ normal inherent (card #226).
NOTE: although their Inherent Ability restricts them from playing Universe cards themselves, they MAY play follow-up actions to Universe cards (for example, Teamwork or Ally Universe cards) played by teammates according to normal rules.
If the “Who Killed the Guardians of the Globe” Mission set Event, “The New Guardians” is in play, as a higher class of card this overrides the Walkers’ Inherent, and they could play an Ally Universe card.
Lizard League — Salamander's Toxikinesis Top ↑
Does the text on this card protect itself, so that once it hits it cannot be negated, healed, or otherwise removed?
Yes - It does prevent itself from being removed. This is a powerful effect for this Max 6 grid character.
That said, a higher class card’s effect could override “Salamander's Toxikinesis” effect. For example, Artifacts, Events, Aspects, etc. COULD remove this hit.
Machine Head — Quantum Realities Upgrade Top ↑
The fetch of “Isotope” triggers when either option of “Quantum Realities Upgrade” is selected. You choose to play one of the 2 effects, and then execute the Fetch next. Since the first option reads that Machine Head “May” Negate, he can also choose Option1; decline to negate; and then fetch.
Maggie — Farmer's Daughter Top ↑
The Power cards placed to father’s daughter are truly placed on the board and can be discarded by Grim Reaper, etc.
However, they do not count towards duplication versus your hand or other placed cards.
Negan — Sanctuary Top ↑
This card may not choose / target the reserve teammate.
Lancelot — For Guinevere's Love and Knight of the Round Table (updated guidance) Top ↑
“Knight of the Round Table” must remove a hit before fetching Sword and Shield. It cannot be played with a power card attack.
“For Guinevere’s Love” may now be played with a power card attack, to immediately fetch “Sword and Shield” and boost that power card attack. If used in this manner, it cannot be as a direct follow-up to an Ally Universe card or a Teamwork Universe card.
Rules Changes and Clarifications
As of July 14, 2025 · items 25–28 added
Issued before the Season 1 document above. Where the two overlap, the Season 1 rulings take precedence.
1) Team Coordination Issue / Strings Top ↑
Solution type Glossary (Define 'String'); Rulebook (add to Battle Mechanic)
Any time that a card allows follow-up action(s) from multiple teammate, only the allotted action(s) from each teammate may be made. No additional strings may be started. (e.g. Teamworks, Cthulhu’s ‘Network of Fanatics’, etc.)
Define 'String': "Any time that a card played allows future cards to be played on the player's current turn, this is considered to be a 'string'. This language is not currently on game cards but 'stringing' is a common effect in the game.
2) Event which declares that Basic Universes and Training Universes count toward venture – does that that work (does that include defense?) Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook - add Complex interaction sentence
Clarification that modifying one rule doesn't infer additional abilities. The Event in question grants that they count to venture, but it doesn't create a new pathway for venture to be scored. The only path for venture to be scored, unless specified otherwise, is successful hits on a character. During this event, after an attack with a basic or training this, the universe is moved to the Astral plane to be counted.
3) Absolute KO / KO processing issue - discarding all cards placed to character, etc. Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook Edit
Edit KO Text to flip flop steps 1 and 2, add as new Step 3 "Discard all cards placed on KO'd character to the appropriate discard piles", currents steps 3-5 become 4-6. Edit Absolute KO steps / protocol from “and steps 3 through 5 of the KO’ing a Character section are followed.” To reflect revised KO steps above.
4) Absolute KO / KO check - not constant, but after each card processes Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook Edit
Edit KO and Absolute KO text to (Page 20 Comprehensive) from "due to any other conditions that arise at ANY TIME" to "due to any other conditions that arise after any card or game effect is fully processed"
4) shift' is defined, but 'attack made on teammate is made on' isn't really Top ↑
Solution type Add paragraph break / return to space between definitions for "Search" and "Shift"
Shift IS defined. Just hidden within "Search" Paragraph. Add correct formatting. Consider future definition of phrase "Attack made on teammate" to say that it’s a shift.
5) Play redundant effects rule should for cards that affect battle OR game Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook Edit page 26
Edit complex interactions section on this - page 26 "Occasionally, 1 player may have 2 different cards available to play in a battle that seem redundant" to "Occasionally, 1 player may have 2 different cards available to play in a battle or game"
6) Does being able to play another character? Special automatically grant the ability to place it Top ↑
Solution type Page 14 language that exists. Issue clarification.
Yes. Issue clarification that anything character can legally play at the time of the placing phase can be legally placed. Page 14 "Cards placed must be playable by a character, or a location placing that card (unless they have immediate access to another card or effect that allows them to play it). "
7) How does shifting Zorro's 'three quick strokes' affect it? Follow-ups must be made against new target (character Opponent shifted to)? Top ↑
Solution type Issue clarification. Top of Page 18 item 2
Clarification that when a shift occurs it changes the target, regardless of the Opponent / Character's original intended target. (The additional attacks from 3 quick strokes would have to go against the character shifted to)
8) Remove hit event(s) - remove must mean successful remove Top ↑
Solution type Clarification
Issue clarification that remove means SUCCESFULLY removed from location
9) Define the word flip Top ↑
Solution type Glossary definition
10) Clarify ‘Future Plans’ and concession defense; same for fortress (does negating fortress stop concession still? Top ↑
Solution type Clarification
Clarification of "Play to Concede the battle" versus "Play when either player concedes battle."
11) Any hero 4 make additional language in essential pack v Kickstarter? Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook edit
Issue rule that for cards of same set, same name, newer printing new text applies to all versions. E.g. Event Horizon and Any Hero Assists
12) Can 'quick draw' defend a JW attack (attack that can't be defended by a special)? Top ↑
Solution type Clarification
Yes, you can. Quick draw itself does not block the attack or invalidate target. Rather, the Opponent's defense (or lack thereof) of quick draw determines the fate of the attack.
13) Clarify: Can you play a card to no effect? e.g. a heal without a hit present (no) Top ↑
Solution type Rulebook change modify Page 17 item C to clarify that legal action has to have effect
No, you cannot. During the battle mechanic it says that you have to play a legal action. That will be clarified to say there must be an effect.
14) Cthulhu’s Special Card ‘Call of Cthulhu’ – does it affect 1 character or the whole team? Top ↑
Solution type Errata / Clarification to note this was a punctuation error for the Kickstarter
The Card reads “Opponent’s character's hits to KO are -5 for remainder of game. May be played from Reserve.” When it should read “Opponent’s characters’ hits to KO are -5 for remainder of game. May be played from Reserve.
Issue errata / clarification it is the whole team affected, including reserve.
15) Count of Monte Cristo Alternate hero release with play-test inherent – is it legal? (no) Top ↑
Solution type Ban list
Publish ban list on OverPowerCardgame.com. Include this hero card.
16) Grim Reaper Any Hero Special Card – do you call the icon type before the astral plane? After opponent defends or not? Top ↑
Solution type Clarification
The card should play as it reads, which is that the ENTIRE effect of the card is conditioned on whether it, as a non-numerical attack, is successful. Therefore, you do not call an icon until it hits. Issue clarification.
17) Warlord of Mars and Chronicles of Mars Mission Objective Cards v. Event cards – are they the same set? (Yes) Top ↑
Solution type Errata
Issue clarification / errata that these Mission Objectives and events are from the same set, but name change not updated to new files before KickStarter print (LRG error).
18) Does an Offensive Negate have to declare is intended target / function? (yes) Top ↑
Solution type Clarification / Potential Rulebook edit TBD
The negate’s effect is not conditioned on success. You must declare what the card(s) will do and targets when putting them into the Astral Plane.
19) Tarzan’s ‘Jungle Tactics’ – does it defense just a teamwork card OR any attack from it? (Any attack from it) Top ↑
Solution type Glossary definition for the phrase “1 attack from”
20) Are costs to play a card executed/paid before potential negation? (no) Top ↑
Solution type Clarification
The text of a card doesn’t take effect until AFTER the card crosses the astral plane. Therefore, costs such as discarding a card or playing open handed do not occur until the Opponent chooses not to negate the card.
21) Clarify initiative is determined by the winner of the battle. Top ↑
Solution type Clarification and rules edit – page 11 “Gameplay Phases”
After section about determining go who first the FIRST battle, add sentence / paragraph “If it is any other battle, the player who won the last battle has priority and goes first”
22) Can you reveal cards that are already open handed / known / seen? (yes) Can you reveal a hand if there are no cards in it? (yes) Top ↑
Solution type Clarification which reiterates Complex interaction section. Edit that section to reflect zero card hand scenario(s)
Clarify 1) reveal can be redundant. In Overpower, you can reveal something that you can see already 2) In OverPower, like most card games, a hand can have zero cards. Therefore, you can reveal a hand even if it has zero cards.
23) Fetch definition needed (appears on Barsoom); Increase definition (also Barsoom)) Top ↑
Solution type Glossary
24) Choose definition updated. Top ↑
Solution type Glossary
25) Double shift issue – can you (no, only 1 shift per turn, this includes on-going shifts from a card like Korak’s ‘Meriem and Jackie Clayton’) Top ↑
Solution type Glossary – add to ‘Shift’ definition
27) Lockouts and speed bump effects like Zeus’ Hera do not prevent Zeus from having attack(s) shifted to him. Top ↑
Solution type Clarification – potential add to “Shift”?
Shifting moves the target of an attack from the Opponent’s choice to target. The presence of a played lockout or card like ‘Hera’ doesn’t not prevent a shift. They only prevent the Opponent’s choice of target. The attack shifted would go directly to the new selected target, and underneath any lockout or card like ‘Hera’ in play.
28) Deck count doesn’t include cards that start the game outside of the deck (e.g. cards placed to homebases to start game; Character cards, mission objectives, etc.) Top ↑
Solution type Clarification / addition to deckbuilding section
Self explanatory.