Xia: Legends of a Drift System: Official FAQ
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Xia: Legends of a Drift System Official FAQ
Including Embers of a Forsaken Star, Missions & Powers, and Sellsword.
General Questions
How Many People Can Play Xia?
Xia can be played with 3 to 5 players.
How Long Does a Typical Game Take?
Xia has a variable game length. You choose how many points to play to at the beginning of each game.
- 5 points ~= 15 min per player
- 10 points ~= 30 min per player
- 20 points ~= 45 min per player
Rule Clarifications / Questions
Double Planetary Border Jumping
Scenario: A ship attempts to move 1 space passing through 2 planetary boundaries. If it successfully jumps through the first planetary boundary, but fails its roll to pass through the 2nd, what happens?
The ship does not leave the origin space until it has cleared both planetary shields. Either you pass through both shields, or are rebuffed by one or the other and stay in your original space.
Tigris Gate Connections
Scenario: The Tigris Gate does not connect to other gates, but do they connect to the Tigris Gate?
The Tigris Gate is not connected to the other gates, and the other gates do not connect to the Tigris.
Mag-Harpoon Movement
Scenario: What is the exact algorithm for following a ship via Mag-Harpoon? The rules do not say at what distance you may follow behind the other ship. Also, the rules use the word "may." Assuming a follow distance of 1, does this imply that when a ship is adjacent to you before and after single move space, that you can choose whether to take the spot they vacate or remain still (yet attached)?
After attaching to a host: when the host ship moves a space, your ship moves into the space previously occupied by the host. The "may" is used to imply that you may either move into that space, or choose to detach from the host ship, at which point you cease to follow them.
Entering a Lawful Planet Entrance via Mag-Harpoon as an Outlaw
Scenario: An outlaw player is following an innocent via Mag-Harpoon who goes through a lawful planetary entrance. The innocent then attempts to move further inside the planet. What happens?
The outlaw cannot enter via the entrance and is automatically detached.
Passing Through a Planetary Shield via Mag-Harpoon
Scenario: A player is following another via Mag-Harpoon who goes through a planetary shield. What happens if the first ship makes the roll, but the follow ship fails?
The follow ship is rebuffed by the planetary shields and is automatically detached.
Over-Surge Dice Penalty
Scenario: Over-Surge is used in combination with normal uses of the same outfit for a single Action or Defense. Does the damage penalty from Over-Surge get applied to each roll or only to the overcharge roll?
When combined into one attack, the damage to the outfit is applied before the attack roll(s). All rolls from that outfit will have the damage applied to them for that attack.
Over-Surge Double Slot Usage
Scenario: Can a player use an outfit space (placing a marker on that slot) and use Over-Surge to place damage on the same spot on a combined attack/defend?
While this is possible, you would not gain an extra roll. The use space only counts as being activated once in that combined attack/defend.
NPC Action Ordering
Scenario: Do NPC actions always occur top to bottom?
Yes. Rulebook, p.16, Non-Player Ships: "To take an NPC turn, the player simply reads the NPC card from top to bottom, following the directions."
Merchant Targeting
Scenario: Does the Merchant decide its next planet at the time that it sells, or based on where it last sold, as in the case of newly discovered planets?
Merchant picks the next planet on the trade route at the time of selling (or when it first spawns). If a planet is not discovered at that time it is skipped, so planets discovered during a trip do not affect it, as they have already been skipped and are therefore at the back of the trade route rotation.
Finite Money / Damage Markers
Scenario: Is money / damage markers finite?
No. They are infinite.
Title: Generous
Scenario: When can Generous be claimed? How is it arbitrated, when more than one player wants to complete the title at the same time? If it is possible to complete Generous on someone else's turn, is it possible for Generous to give you the winning point, but you cannot collect it until the end of your turn, allowing someone else to win before your turn starts?
Titles are drawn during your status phase and therefore cannot be claimed by the player who drew it on that turn.
For a title that can be completed on another player's turn, it is claimed during the next available status phase. In the case of Generous, use turn order to decide conflicts.
Title: Veteran
Scenario: If you have Veteran, do you still have to roll for failure?
Yes. All mission rules still apply, except when receiving payment. Instead of getting what you earned, you get the maximum amount possible.
Using Occupied Spaces Through a Planetary Border
Scenario: A player attempts to use an occupied space that is on the other side of a planetary border. If they pass the first roll but fail the 2nd, what happens?
If you are outside of a planetary shield, you are not considered adjacent to spaces inside the shield (rulebook p.13, Adjacency). So this situation is not possible.
Using Occupied Spaces Multiple Times
Scenario: A player attempts to use an occupied space multiple times. Do they have to spend 2 movement and potentially cross borders for each use, for example when mining?
No. Spend once, take actions as if you were on that space. You can take multiple actions.
Business Phase Actions
Scenario: Can you take actions during the Business Phase more than once in the same phase?
Yes, provided you meet any prerequisites and have the Credits for business.
Scanning While Inside Planetary Shield
Scenario: If you are on a planet and on the edge, can you scan through the shields to reveal the next sector?
No. When on a planet you are not adjacent to anything outside of the planetary shield.
Xia: Embers of a Forsaken Star (Updated 05/16/17)
General
Damaged Outfit Spots and New Purchases
Can I buy armor plating (or any other outfit) and put it under a damaged spot? No.
Can I buy a mod and put it on an outfit use spot that is damaged? No.
Auto-Pilot Ability for Lone Drifter
You will trigger movement in The Kiln, comet movement, and gravity path movement while drifting. Remember that you cannot take any actions (even minor actions) when it is not your turn.
Damage Types and Prevention
When taking damage, if a card says "take 1 damage," it is normal damage unless otherwise specified.
When healing damage, if a card says "heal 1 damage," it can be any type unless otherwise specified.
If an effect allows you to prevent damage, it can prevent regular or ice damage, but not energy loss, unless otherwise specified. Shields are specifically allowed to prevent energy loss per game rules.
Base Game
Gaiden, Evasive Thrusters
They may be used outside of combat to prevent damage, but cannot prevent energy loss.
Occam's Razor, Pyrion Rail Gun
Can the Rail Gun damage ships with no outfits, such as NPCs? Yes.
Can the Rail Gun damage player ships with no damage left to give an outfit? Yes. The target player places the damage in their hold wherever they wish.
Explore Tokens
If your ship enters a nebula, becomes stranded (no energy and no active markers), movement immediately stops and the action is over. Then you may take a minor action to collect an explore token, since minor actions or impulse are allowed while stranded.
- If the explore token is +5 movement, you may move up to 5 spaces immediately.
- If the token refills energy, refill energy and you are no longer stranded (but you still cannot re-arm markers until status phase).
Events
Infestation
If a target ship has Infestation and is attacked by blasters or ramming, and Infestation has not moved yet this turn, the attacking ship gets infested before the attack resolves. If the attacker rolls 1s on the attack roll, they take damage from the event.
If you have Infestation, do you take damage if you roll a natural 1 on gravity paths, comets, space station movement, NPCs, etc.? No. Only when you roll for yourself (outfits, abilities, missions, borders, Tigris Gate, etc.).
Derelict Hulk
If your ship is adjacent to the Hulk, you can tow it by spending +1 movement, and the Hulk ends in the space your ship last occupied.
If you move onto a gravity path or through a gate while towing the Hulk, it moves to your last occupied space, and then you are no longer adjacent.
The Hulk cannot be damaged.
If your ship is not adjacent to the Hulk, you cannot tow it.
To claim the Hulk, spend 2 movement to get onto The Kiln. Your Action Phase then ends.
Seedy Discount
Is Seedy Discount mandatory? Yes.
Titles
Cold As Ice
When calculating hold size for this title, each Armor Plating adds +3 to hold size, and Cargo Pods do not affect hold size.
Reckless
To use this reward, you must declare the +5 movement before the new sector is revealed.
Ship Abilities
Nightshade's Replication Drive
When you place the Replication Token, the ship ability is not used. The ability is used when you use the copied ability.
Solo
NPCs
Q: If an NPC is the first to use a gate, do they gain the FP? A: Yes.
Q: If there are no NPCs on the board after my first turn, do I still roll for NPC fame at the end of the round? A: Yes.
Q: If the Enforcer destroys the Scoundrel, what happens to the bounty? A: Bounty from the Scoundrel goes onto the Enforcer, per standard rules. NPCs also get a bonus to end-of-round FP roll for that bounty.
Q: If the Enforcer destroys the Scoundrel, do NPCs get FP? A: NPCs do not get FP for destroying the Scoundrel, since the Scoundrel is not a player.
NPC Behaviors
General: If an NPC does not have a valid target for its behavior, it will not move. It will do nothing on its turn other than respawn if needed. An NPC needs a specific behavior-card exception to act without a target (example: Single Minded Enforcer).
Q: Can an NPC acquire me as a target from anywhere? A: Yes, unless otherwise stated on behavior.
Q: Will an NPC attempt to cross a planetary border (if needed) to reach me? A: Yes, if necessary. They may destroy themselves or waste movement bouncing off shields, but they will try if that is the only way.
Q: Many behaviors include "Repeat Steps 1-2." Does this loop forever until target reached? A: No. It repeats once. You do Steps 1-2 twice.
Enforcer (Corrupt)
You pay per tier of your own ship. Money paid to Enforcer goes on the Enforcer card. This does not contribute to NPC end-of-round FP roll (only credits from bounty and events do). If player is not outlaw, this Enforcer does nothing.
Enforcer (Big Game Hunter)
Scoundrel is Tier 1, so this Enforcer never targets Scoundrel. If player is outlaw but Tier 1, it also ignores player. Cinder-Beard (event NPC) is Tier 3, so it will target Cinder-Beard. If player is outlaw Tier 2+ and Cinder-Beard is in play, it targets player.
Enforcer (Diligent)
Use solo-specific bounty rules. If player's bounty is under 2,000cR, Diligent Enforcer targets Scoundrel (which spawns with 2,000cR). If Enforcer destroys Scoundrel, NPCs get +4 to roll from bounty but no extra FP for ship destruction.
Merchant (Investor)
Money earned does not contribute to NPC end-of-round FP roll (only credits from bounty and events). If destroyed, player gets all money on card.
Merchant (Collector)
Cubes come from Economy Board (if available). Collector does not pay money for them. If destroyed, player gets all cubes from Collector. At 3 cubes, it scores +1 FP for NPCs each round until destroyed.
Scoundrel (Bully)
If player has Tier 3 ship, Scoundrel has no target and does not move. If player has Tier 1 or 2 ship later, Bully targets player again.
Scoundrel (Usual Suspect)
If player is outlaw, this Scoundrel does nothing. "Usual suspect" refers to base-game Scoundrel, which ignores outlaws.
Events
Socialist Merchants
This awards 1,000cR (or 2,000cR) per currently active NPC. Example: if all three NPCs are in play and losing by 3 FP, they each get 1,000cR. During end-of-round FP roll, NPCs get +6 for 3,000cR earned, plus the normal +6 from losing by 3.
Martial Law (Hard Mode)
Roll an extra d8 for Enforcer, not d20. Enforcer rolls d20 + 2d8, and takes its full turn twice.
Martial Law + Socialist Merchants + NPCs losing: each Enforcer turn grants Socialist Merchants reward.
Cinder-Beard
Use Scoundrel behavior pattern and move 12 throughout. If Scoundrel behavior has not been drawn, draw it now.
A Diligent Enforcer targets Cinder-Beard over regular Scoundrel if both have same bounty and player has less bounty.
When Enforcer destroys Cinder-Beard, it collects 2,000cR bounty and NPCs get +4 to end-of-round roll, but do not earn 3 FP for destroying Cinder-Beard.
Campaign Mode - Goals and Goal Rewards
Archaeological Expert
If you use this reward, the space station moves on its path (even if your ship was already in the space station).
Resurgent
If you use this reward, apply normal random spawn rules: roll d20, go to nearest unoccupied numbered point (higher number if tied), and pick anywhere on natural 20.
Campaign Mode - Upgrades
For the heal 1 damage campaign upgrade (tier 2), the damage can be any type.
Deep Space Specialist Title
If you gain this title and already have the tier 2 mission-related campaign upgrade, the title reward does not benefit you.
If you have the tier 3 mission-related upgrade (scan from anywhere in sector) and your ship is on The Kiln, are you considered in Nyr and therefore can scan all around Nyr?
Yes.