smashup-rulebook - Recent changes [en]

Ghosts

Krecord21 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:10:19 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:10, 27 September 2026
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	======Complexity Level: HIGH======		======Complexity Level: HIGH======
	======Mechanics======		======Mechanics======
	*'''Having Few Cards In ~~Hand~~'''		*'''Having Few Cards In Hands'''
	Just about every faction wants you to have as many cards in your hand as you can get. Not always so with the Ghosts. They reward you with a wide array of abilities for emptying out your hand, and offer several ways to make that happen fast, at the expense of options you would have had with a full hand.

	~~'''Like the Back of Your Hand'''~~

	All players start the game with a hand of 5 cards. In an ideal turn, you play 2 cards, 1 minion and 1 action, leaving you at 3 cards, then draw 2 cards, keeping your hand size at 5. This is very significant for Ghosts, and may leave you in a quandary, because several Ghost abilities require that you have 2 or fewer cards left in your hand. If you want to use one of them right away you must burn off an extra card from your starting hand.

	Understanding and keeping pace with this cadence is vital to success with Ghosts. Over the long term, your hand size doesn't change unless you discard cards, play extra cards, draw extra cards, return cards to your hand, or do nothing during your turn. You are strongest during your turn and weakest during other player's turns. You must plan ahead and reexamine your cards every turn to hit that 2-card threshold to activate the Ghosts' best abilities.

	~~'''Discarding Cards'''~~

	Spirit and The Dead Rise power up based on how many cards you discard with their abilities. Counterintuitively, they make drawing extra cards advantageous for you (on top of the normal benefits) by cutting down on the time you might otherwise waste building your hand by doing nothing. You can accumulate quite a lot of fuel, but if you get carried away you may have trouble triggering other Ghost abilities.

	If you are not able to fulfill your cards' conditions, it is better to discard them than keep them around. You can't even play Make Contact unless it's your last card in hand with an action play to spend.

	~~In general, emptying your hand by playing extra cards benefits you much more than discarding them. That's why Ghostly Arrival is the Ghosts' best action.~~

	~~======Strategy======~~
	Because Ghosts are capable of dumping several cards in one turn, they tend towards a boom and bust play pattern, just like ghost towns and jump scare tactics of the horror genre. After spending your hand on a big play, you'll probably find yourself with no choices left but to do little or nothing for a few turns. That makes breaking bases on your turn even more important than usual. Experienced Ghost players carefully play and manage their cards to have a combo ready for opportune moments.

	You can keep your hand small all the time if you guarantee access to the cards you need, by doing such things as stacking your deck and playing from your discard pile. Normally, keeping your hand small is very risky due to the random nature of decks and unequal distribution of card abilities.

	~~======Synergy======~~
	Ghosts have extra power and utility when you manage your hand well, so factions that help with that do best with Ghosts. Very few factions discard cards to empty your hand the same way Ghosts do, but extra card plays and draws help, the more speed and control the better. Factions that can still function on an empty hand also fit well with Ghosts. Sometimes your opponents' abilities that make you discard cards become advantageous.

	* '''[[Zombies]]''': You may have immediately thought of this faction. They complement Ghosts very well, but not flawlessly: Zombies aren't of any help emptying your hand, only discarding cards from your deck, and even bring them back to your hand! Ghosts support Zombies better than Zombies support Ghosts, so Ghosts end up playing subordinate to the Zombies. This is one of the factions that can still function on an empty hand.
	* '''[[Wizards]]''': The quintessential support faction supports Ghosts better than usual since you get fine control over a huge number of extra card plays and draws, easily fulfilling Ghost's conditions.
	* '''[[Killer Plants]]''': These two factions synergize in numerous small ways, adding up to one of the best combinations. Sprouts can "grow" into Haunting. A Water Lily granting an extra card at the start of your turn is much more valuable than drawing it at the end of your turn, and Plants offer extra minion plays to empty your hand. Additionally, the Sprouts and Venus Man Trap continue to bring more minions to the field independent from how many cards you have left in hand.
	* '''[[Magical Girls]]''': Thanks to Lunar Captain and some actions, discarding Magical Girl minions doesn't bother them much. With a good team in play, the Girls get a lot done even if your hand is empty.

	===Cards - Minions===		===Cards - Minions===
	======1x Spectre======		======1x Spectre======
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	======1x Séance======		======1x Séance======
	[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts19.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Yating Sun]]		[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts19.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Yating Sun]]
	If you have 2 or fewer cards in your hand, draw until you have 5 cards		If you have 2 or fewer cards in your hand, draw until you have 5 cards.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	======1x The Dead Rise======		======1x The Dead Rise======
	[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts11.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Yating Sun]]		[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts11.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Yating Sun]]
	Discard any number of cards. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with power less than the number of cards you discarded		Discard any number of cards. Play an extra minion from your discard pile with power less than the number of cards you discarded.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	====== 1x Creampuff Man ======		====== 1x Creampuff Man ======
	[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts21.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Alberto Tavira]]		[[File:SU1010 AwesomeLevel9000 Ghosts21.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Alberto Tavira]]
	Special: On your turn, you may play this titan if you have no cards in your hand. Ongoing: You have +5 power here minus the number of cards in your hand (minimum 0). Talent: Choose a standard action ~~from~~ your discard pile. Discard a card to play the chosen action as an extra action. Place it on the bottom of your deck instead of the discard pile.		Special: On your turn, you may play this titan if you have no cards in your hand. Ongoing: You have +5 power here minus the number of cards in your hand (minimum 0). Talent: Choose a standard action in your discard pile. Discard a card to play the chosen action as an extra action. Place it on the bottom of your deck instead of the discard pile.

	Errata: Yes (cannot play the card you discard)		Errata: Yes (cannot play the card you discard)

Zombies

Krecord21 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:08:58 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:08, 27 September 2026
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	======Complexity Level: LOW======		======Complexity Level: LOW======
	======Mechanics======		======Mechanics======
	*~~'''bRAIns... (Resurrecting Minions)'''~~		*TBD
	*'''BraAAINNS! (Filling Your Discard Pile)'''
	Zombies specialize in reviving minions from the discard pile. They make such heavy use of their discard pile that it acts like a secondary hand, and are greatly hindered if it is empty. This is always true at the start of the game. They overwhelmingly favor minion replays, but a few management actions allow you to select minions or actions. Some of their abilities help you play minions on bases where you have none.
	~~======Strategy======~~
	Since they are so good at reviving their minions, Zombies largely negate the impact of minion destruction. Opponents will seek other ways to neutralize your minions, including just out-powering you. Remember that after a base breaks, you can quickly play the minions you had there back on the field, especially your Tenacious Zs. This is primarily what makes Zombies competitive, even though their overall power is lower than usual.

	Zombies have a predictable overall strategy: keep minions out of their deck and hand as much as possible, particularly Tenacious Zs. All players are allowed to look through each other's discard piles at any time, so it is difficult for Zombie players to mask their intentions. They will play their Mall Crawl and Walkers as early as possible. When decks start to empty out, they will play Lend a Hand to refill their deck with actions and other non-essentials, making sure to include Grave Robbing. Eventually they will draw Grave Robbing, and play it to put Lend a Hand back in their hand so they can sweep their discard pile again. A Zombie player aims to control which cards stay in their discard pile and which go back into the deck. Disrupting this pattern is the most effective way to slow down Zombies.
	~~======Synergy======~~
	Zombies are good at keeping a large number of minions on the field, so their best partners will help them get even more on the field or do special things with them once they are there. Factions that help you discard cards are also good partners.

	* '''[[Robots]]''' - The swarms of minions will never stay down! Once they massively over-break a base, they will explode back onto the field. Easily one of the strongest combinations in the game.
	* '''[[Pirates]]''' - Typically opponents will hunt down First Mates the moment they see them, but with Zombies backing them up, your opponents will have a frustrating time. Pirates' ease of moving around their minions fits nicely with Zombie Lord's ability. The more players in the game, the better.
	* '''[[Ghosts]]''' - They help you in your quest to fill and manage your discard pile. Zombies can help put cards back in your hand, in case you need to fuel a Spirit. Zombies are capable of getting by on an empty hand.
	* '''[[Killer Plants]]''' - Plants and Zombies memes, anyone? But actually, this is a strong combination. Sprouts help you get Tenacious Z's into the action ASAP, and Zombies help cover the Plants' big weakness to minion destruction.

	===Cards - Minions===		===Cards - Minions===
	======1x Zombie Lord======		======1x Zombie Lord======
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	======2x Grave Robbing======		======2x Grave Robbing======
	[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies16.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]		[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies16.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]
	Place a card from your discard pile into your hand		Place a card from your discard pile into your hand.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	======1x Mall Crawl======		======1x Mall Crawl======
	[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies18.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]		[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies18.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]
	Search your deck for any number of cards with the same name and place them into your discard pile. Shuffle your deck		Search your deck for any number of cards with the same name and place them into your discard pile. Shuffle your deck.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	======1x Outbreak======		======1x Outbreak======
	[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies15.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]		[[File:SU1008 CoreSet Zombies15.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Dave Allsop]]
	Play an extra minion on a base where you have no minions		Play an extra minion on a base where you have no minions.

	Errata: No		Errata: No

Robots

Krecord21 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:07:51 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:07, 27 September 2026
(One intermediate revision by the same user not shown)
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	======Complexity Level: LOW======		======Complexity Level: LOW======
	======Mechanics======		======Mechanics======
	*~~'''Swarming'''~~		*TBD
	*'''Utility Minions Instead Of Actions'''
	Robots overwhelm bases with swarms of tiny minions and big minions. They exemplify certain aspects of an AI run wild: automated construction, synchronized coordination, super-weapons, purpose-built units, and working for the good of the whole. They have nanobots, they have mid-sized soldiers, they have lumbering behemoths.
	~~======Strategy======~~
	Ironically, Robots' most powerful minion, rather than the one with highest printed power, Nukebot, is one of the ones with the lowest: Microbot Alpha. Robots are good at churning out multiple minions turn after turn, and abilities like that of Microbot Alpha leverage that high output into real strategic strength. It is difficult to calculate the maximum and average potency of Alpha, but just a little preparation busts out 10 or more power when you play it. That's an outstanding Big Drop, but you can alternatively keep it around to prolong the benefits of the Microbot brotherhood.

	Robots have a few ways to protect their minions. Warbots are simply indestructible. Microbot Archive and Nukebot reward you and punish your opponents when your minions are destroyed. Be mindful playing Microbot Guard. Technically, if it has any valid targets, it must destroy one of them, including allies or itself.

	Microbot Reclaimers shuffle select cards into your deck. They are most efficient when your deck is nearly empty. The two of them can recycle each other along with your other Microbots, packing your deck with exactly the Microbots you want theoretically forever.
	~~======Synergy======~~
	~~As the epitome of factions that play extra minions, Robots match best with others that play similarly.~~

	* '''[[Zombies]]''': - Extremely potent, the moment you break a base you can bring the swarm right back onto the field.
	* '''[[Innsmouth]]''': - While normally a rather weak faction, Innsmouth augments Robots' ability to field large numbers of minions and multiply their power. Zapbots simultaneously add power on the field and help you play The Locals. Additionally, Robots offer more minions of the same name than usual, but note that to a Microbot, all Microbots are equal, but to Innsmouth, all Microbots are not equal.
	* '''[[Ghosts]]''': - Playing extra cards helps you empty out your hand and trigger the Ghosts' conditions.
	* '''Hydra''': - This deck goes really fast, being one of the fastest decks in the game. Hour of Destiny tutors out Robots' best minions such as Microbot Alpha and Microbot Fixer, while Reactivate Agents and Secret Reserves just get them back. Zapbot is a free minion because everything you really want to play has power <=2, and Nukebot wipes out every other player's minion if you sacrifice it to Red Skull or another Talent, an excessively brutal effect that is similar to Terraforming in heads-up and possibly better than it with any more players, since they don't get points at all. The deck's only weakness is that it cannot remove base modifiers and Red Skull dies to Assassinate and similar cards. However, with Microbot Archive in play, Red Skull's Talent can draw three cards. However, unlike Zombies, they cannot reshuffle actions or minions with power 3 or greater. This deck also plays well with Hoverbot. The main problem of not being able to reshuffle is moot if Red Skull survives, though. Many Hydra actions, talents, and abilities are abusable with Robots, such as sacrificing a Hydra Agent before playing a minion, and then using that to play a Microbot Fixer or Microbot Reclaimer.

	===Cards - Minions===		===Cards - Minions===
	======1x Nukebot======		======1x Nukebot======
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	======1x Microbot Archive======		======1x Microbot Archive======
	[[File:SU1005 CoreSet Robots14.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Bruno Balixa]]		[[File:SU1005 CoreSet Robots14.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Bruno Balixa]]
	'''Power 1''' - After one of your Microbots (including this one) is destroyed, draw a card.		'''Power 1''' - Ongoing: After one of your Microbots (including this one) is destroyed, draw a card.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	~~Breakpoint~~ 25 - VPs: 2 2 1 - When this base scores, the winner gains 1 VP for every 5 power that player has here.
			Breakpoint 25 - VPs: 2 2 1 - When this base scores, the winner gains 1 VP for every 5 power that player has here.

	Errata: No		Errata: No

Pirates

Krecord21 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:06:26 GMT

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 ======Complexity Level: LOW-MEDIUM======
 ======Mechanics======
-*'''Sailing Between Bases'''
+*TBD
 ===Cards - Minions===
 ======1x Pirate King======
@@ Line 53: / Line 21: @@
 ======2x Buccaneer======
 [[File:SU1004 CoreSet Pirates8.png|none|thumb|420x420px|Illustrated by: Francisco Rico Torres]]
-'''Power 4''' - Ongoing: once per turn, if this minion would be destroyed, you may move it to another base instead.
+'''Power 4''' - Ongoing: Once per turn, if this minion would be destroyed, you may move it to another base instead.
-Errata: Yes, Functional (Special to Ongoing; '''may''' move instead of mandatory)
+Errata: Yes, Functional (Special to Ongoing; '''may''' move instead of mandatory; limited to once per turn)
 Clarifications:
@@ Line 168: / Line 136: @@
-Breakpoint 17 - VPs: 3 1 1 - After this base scores, all players other than the winner may move a minion from here to another base instead of the discard pile
+Breakpoint 17 - VPs: 3 1 1 - After this base scores, all players other than the winner may move a minion from here to another base instead of the discard pile.
 Errata: No
@@ Line 190: / Line 158: @@
 ======1x The Kraken======
 [[File:SU1004 CoreSet Pirates23.png|none|thumb|420x420px|Illustrated by: Francisco Rico Torres]]
-Special: After a base scores where you had a minion while this card is not in play, you may say “Release the Kraken!” to play this titan on the base that replaces it.
+Special: After a base scores where you had a minion while this card is not in play, you may say “Release the Kraken!” to play this titan on the base that replaces it. Talent: Move this titan to another base. Other players’ minions there get -1 power until the start of your next turn. Special: After this base scores, move one of your minions from here to another base. Errata: Yes, Functional (until start of your next turn instead of end of turn)
 Clarifications:
 * Yes, you '''must''' say "Release the Kraken!" - if you do not, you must instead communicate the concept of Releasing the Kraken with another method (e.g. writing the phrase). The Kraken won't know if it is released unless you tell it!

Ninjas

Krecord21 — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:03:56 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:03, 27 September 2026
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	======2x Tiger Assassin======		======2x Tiger Assassin======
	[[File:SU1003 CoreSet Ninjas8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Isuardi Therianto]]		[[File:SU1003 CoreSet Ninjas8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Isuardi Therianto]]
	'''Power 4''' - You may destroy a minion of power 3 or less.		'''Power 4''' - You may destroy a minion of power 3 or less on this base.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	Clarifications:		Clarifications:

	*		*None

	======3x Shinobi======		======3x Shinobi======
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	===Cards - Actions===		===Cards - Actions===
	======1x ~~Assassin~~======		======1x Assassination======
	[[File:SU1003 CoreSet Ninjas20.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Crut]]		[[File:SU1003 CoreSet Ninjas20.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Crut]]
	Play on a minion. Ongoing: Destroy this minion at the end of the turn.		Play on a minion. Ongoing: Destroy this minion at the end of the turn.
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	Breakpoint 18 - VPs: 2 3 2 - ~~(no ability)~~		Breakpoint 18 - VPs: 2 3 2 - After this base scores, the winner may destroy any one minion.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	Breakpoint 16 - VPs: 4 3 2 - After each ~~time a~~ minion ~~is destroyed~~ here~~, place it at~~ the bottom of its owner's deck		Breakpoint 16 - VPs: 4 3 2 - After this base scores, place each player's highest power minion here on the bottom of its owner's deck.

	Errata: No		Errata: No

Dinosaurs

Krecord21 — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:35:40 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:35, 24 September 2026
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	======Complexity Level: Low======		======Complexity Level: Low======
	======Mechanics======		======Mechanics======
	*'''~~Big Minions'''~~		*'''High power plays'''
	*'''Embiggening Said Minions'''		*'''Solid defense'''
	Dinosaurs are one of the simplest factions in the game. Their main strength is literally their strength. The abilities of their minions (or lack thereof) augment themselves with extra power. Their actions do the same, along with capitalizing on their minions' high power and protecting those few and powerful minions. They don't mess around with extra card draws and plays, tricks, surprises, or special techniques, just raw domination.
	~~======Strategy======~~
	Dinosaurs are great at laying down a ton of direct and immediate power on bases. This raw power tends to keep Dinosaurs safe, since many effects can only target minions up to a maximum power. Even so, each minion does a lot of heavy lifting, so you will want to make sure they stick around to win you bases. Armor Stego is definitely one of these, as it gets bonus power on your opponent's turns to preserve your dominance.

	Speaking of preserves, the action Wildlife Preserve helps keep your minions safe from harm, as well as discarding actions that were played on your minions. Use Tooth and Claw... and Guns to safeguard a minion from one instance of any manner of effect.


	The actions that boost your power are mostly temporary, so you should save them until they break and win you a base. Your partner faction can offer the extra action plays to capitalize on this bonus power with actions like Survival of the Fittest. Technically, Laseratops' ability also capitalizes on high power minions. It is a mandatory non-specific destruction, so if no others are present, it will target your own minions. All Dinosaurs, at least, are safe from its effects.
	~~======Synergy======~~
	Dinosaurs mainly have their raw power to offer their teammates, ideal for those who manipulate that power to further ends. Most of the time, the other faction provides support while Dinosaurs dominate the show, but when the partner has strong power as well, Dinosaurs build on them.

	* '''[[Itty Critters]]''': Straightforward power plays are Dinosaurs' forte, but in the hands of seasoned trainers, they become devious juggernauts. Coach and Evolve your team to send forth King Rex whenever you please, and easily maneuver your War Raptors.
	* '''[[Ninjas]]''': They appreciate Dinosaurs' immediate bursts of power for their quick moves. King Rex and Armor Stego are prime candidates to win bases with Hidden Ninja, and you can swap in double War Raptors. Ninjas have a decent amount of power as well.
	* '''Elder Things''': Shoggoths become easy to bring onto the field with the support of Augmentation, Armor Stego, and King Rex. If you're lucky enough to have Rampage and Elder Thing available, you can one-shot most bases all by yourself, but Dinosaurs don't help you much in summoning the monster.
	* '''Bear Cavalry''': With large amounts of power, protection, and destruction of their own, Bear Cavalry are an excellent partner for Dinosaurs, and safe from Laseratops. Boost your Cub Scouts and Polar Commandos to dominate the bases.
	* '''~~[[Wizards]]~~''': The extra actions provide you a lot of options, like Summon double War Raptors, or chain power boosts together to smash down bases and make the most of Sacrifice. Wizard minions don't have a lot of power for you to work with, though.

	===Cards - Minions===		===Cards - Minions===
	======1x King Rex======		======1x King Rex======
Line 35:		Line 18:
	Clarifications:		Clarifications:
	*The ability is deliberately blank. (What, do you think King Rex isn't strong enough already?)		*The ability is deliberately blank. (What, do you think King Rex isn't strong enough already?)
	======2x ~~Lasertops~~======		======2x Laseratops======
	[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]		[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]
	'''Power 4''' - You may destroy a minion here of printed power 2 or less.		'''Power 4''' - You may destroy a minion here of printed power 2 or less.
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	======4x War Raptor======		======4x War Raptor======
	[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]		[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]
	'''Power X''' - Ongoing: Gains +1 ~~Power~~ for each War Raptor on this base (including this one).		'''Power 2''' - Ongoing: Gains +1 power for each War Raptor on this base (including this one).

	Errata: No		Errata: No

	Clarifications:		Clarifications:
	*A War Raptor's power is 2 when in hand, deck, or discard pile, and only changes to 3 after it's on a base.		*A War Raptor's power is 2 when in hand, deck, or discard pile, and only changes to 3 (or more) after it's on a base.
	===Cards - Actions===		===Cards - Actions===
	======2x Augmentation======		======2x Augmentation======
	[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs11.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]		[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs11.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Saliym McCullin]]
	One minion ~~gets~~ +4 power until the end of your turn.		One minion gains +4 power until the end of your turn.

	Errata: No		Errata: No
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	Breakpoint 16 - VPs: 4 3 2 - When a minion here would be destroyed for the first time each turn, place it on the bottom of its ~~owners~~' deck instead.		Breakpoint 16 - VPs: 4 3 2 - When a minion here would be destroyed for the first time each turn, place it on the bottom of its owner's deck instead.

	Errata: Yes, Functional (now once per turn)		Errata: Yes, Functional (now once per turn)
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	======1x Fort Titanosaurus======		======1x Fort Titanosaurus======
	[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs23.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Francisco Rico Torres]]		[[File:SU1002 CoreSet Dinosaurs23.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Francisco Rico Torres]]
	Special: On your turn, if you have not played a minion, you may destroy one of your minions to play this titan on its base. Place +1 power ~~Counters~~ on it equal to the power of the destroyed minion. Ongoing: Once per turn, after you play an action that directly affects one or more minions, you may place a +1 power counter on one of those minions and/or on this titan. Talent: If this titan has four or more +1 power counters on it, draw a card.		Special: On your turn, if you have not played a minion, you may destroy one of your minions to play this titan on its base. Place +1 power counters on it equal to the power of the destroyed minion. Ongoing: Once per turn, after you play an action that directly affects one or more minions, you may place a +1 power counter on one of those minions and/or on this titan. Talent: If this titan has four or more +1 power counters on it, draw a card.

	Errata: No		Errata: No

Aliens

Krecord21 — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:32:45 GMT

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:32, 24 September 2026
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	* '''Returning Minions to hand'''		* '''Returning Minions to hand'''
	* '''VP Gain'''		* '''VP Gain'''

	Like those in our stories, the elusive and mysterious Aliens of Smash Up take people for who knows what reasons. Aliens are experts at returning anyone's minions back to their hand. They can Beam Up their friends to safety, and Abduct their adversaries to Probe them for information. Can you withstand their bubble-helmed Invasion?

	In isolation, returning minions to their owners' hands is not that significant of an ability, but Aliens leverage their expertise to enable a number of unique strategies. All of their returning abilities can target friend or foe. After you return an enemy's minion, use Probe to discard it, and also spy on their hand. You might preemptively deny them a powerful minion you weren't aware of! Aliens have a minor ability to play extra minions to help replay your own minions you return.

	Aliens can do more than just return minions to hands. Send them to their decks instead with Disintegrator! This is especially strong against Tenacious Zs. As always, you can use this on your own minions. How about bases? Enter Terraforming! You even get to play an extra minion.

	~~====== Strategy ======~~
	Aliens' overall power is quite low, so they're not too great at breaking bases. Their Scout minions, however, are specialized at maintaining presence on the bases. You may return them to your hand after the base they are on scores, so you can reuse them. You're not likely to win bases this way, but second and third place are enough to support you along with the next strategy.

	Invaders probably have the most powerful on-play ability in the whole game. By playing, returning, replaying, and rereturning them in an "Invader Dance", you can theoretically win the game without breaking any bases. More commonly, Invaders make up just one component of the Aliens' overall game plan. Relying on this tactic consumes a lot of your minion plays, so reserve Crop Circles to simultaneously slow your opponents' efforts at breaking bases. While fairly easy in a 2-player game, this gets harder the more opponents you face, because they will more and more easily break bases without your input.

	~~====== Synergy ======~~
	~~Aliens work best alongside factions that are also good at returning minions to hands. The next best have and/or support on-play abilities and help slow down the game for your opponents.~~

	* '''[[Ninjas]]''': Master Ninja and Tiger Assassin are even more formidable if you can return them to hand and re-use their minion-destroying on-play abilities.
	* '''[[Robots]]''': Zapbot, Hoverbot, Microbot Fixer, and Microbot Reclaimer all have useful on-play abilities that provide extra minion plays.
	* '''[[Tricksters]]''': Blending their tricks and hindrances in with the Aliens, Tricksters also offer much-desired extra minion plays for you to farm VPs.
	* '''[[Time Travelers]]''': Directly replay Invaders with Do Over! and take control of the bases.
	* '''[[Star Roamers]]''': Ship's Captain can fetch any minion you need, and even play them as an extra minion if their power is 3 or less (like the Invader). Science Officer's talent lets you return one of your minions to your hand to play another with a different name, giving you access to a VP farming engine with Invader. Collector and Supreme Overlord are good partners for that combo, allowing you to repeatedly return other minions to hand. Medical Officer lets you return your Invaders and other minions to hand if they would be destroyed. Ensigns and Protector Fields can protect your Invaders and other minions from removal outright.

	=== Cards - Minions ===		=== Cards - Minions ===
Line 47:		Line 27:
	====== 2x Invader ======		====== 2x Invader ======
	[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]		[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens8.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]
	Power 3 - Gain 1 VP.		'''Power 3''' - Gain 1 VP.

	Errata: None.		Errata: None.
Line 57:		Line 37:
	====== 3x Scout ======		====== 3x Scout ======
	[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens5.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]		[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens5.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]
	Power 3 - Special: After this base scores, you may return this minion to your hand.		'''Power 3''' - Special: After this base scores, you may return this minion to your hand.

	Errata: Yes, Wording.		Errata: Yes, Wording.
Line 67:		Line 47:
	====== 4x Collector ======		====== 4x Collector ======
	[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]		[[File:SU1001 CoreSet Aliens.png\|none\|thumb\|420x420px\|Illustrated by: Conceptopolis]]
	Power 2 - You may return a ~~non-Collector~~ minion of power 3 or less on this base to its owner’s hand.		'''Power 2''' - You may return a minion of power 3 or less on this base to its owner’s hand.

	Errata: Yes, Reversion - Changed back to the original wording (No longer has the "non-Collector" errata that was added in the Bigger Geekier Box update).		Errata: Yes, Reversion - Changed back to the original wording (No longer has the "non-Collector" errata that was added in the Bigger Geekier Box update).