Accuracy X/-X: A cumulative, static ability that means, "Add X to each of this unit’s attack dice." and "Subtract X from each of this unit’s attack dice." respectively. Accuracy can’t alter "natural" rolls to affect Critical Hit, Fury, or Parry, but it can affect your chance against Armor. If a unit gets the Accuracy ability after you roll attack dice, it's too late to affect the hits.
Alternative Cost
Alternative Cost: [cost]: A selective, static effect that means, "Instead of paying the build cost of this card, you may complete this card by paying the [cost] listed." Alternative Cost must be paid in full, if it is not possible to pay the [cost] completely, you can't complete the card. You must pay the [cost] in the order listed. Any ability that reduces the normal cost to complete a card does not reduce the [cost] in that card's Alternative Cost, unless the ability specifically says so.
Armor
Armor: An isolated, static ability that means, "This unit can only be hit on a roll of 5 or more." Armor works against dice of damage and attack dice. It redefines what die roll is required to hit a unit. It doesn’t modify the die roll like Accuracy. A unit with Accuracy 1 attacking a unit with Armor hits with 4's, 5's, and 6's.
Avenge
Avenge X: A cumulative, triggered ability that means, "Whenever damage from an attacking unit causes one of your other units in the same arena as this unit to be discarded, this unit does X dice of damage to the attacking unit when the attack ends."
Bombard
Bombard X: A cumulative, static ability that means, "This unit may attack a unit in the Ground arena instead of the Space arena, using X power plus any other effects." You choose whether to use Bombard to attack a unit in the Ground arena or to make a normal attack in the Space arena. You can't attack a unit in the Space arena using Bombard. Power changes affect Bombard.
Critical Hit
Critical Hit X: A cumulative ability triggered during the pending damage POP that means, "If you rolled at least one natural six with this unit's attack dice, this unit does X more damage for this attack." Only one natural "6" counts in the attack roll after re-rolls. If a unit gets the Critical Hit ability after you roll attack dice, it's too late to affect the damage. Accuracy can't increase the die roll to a natural "6". However, you or your opponent may use an effect to re-roll dice to affect the number of natural sixes. (You only count the six, if any, from the roll used for the attack.) Critical Hit applies only to dice rolled for an attack, not to dice rolls for abilities like Retaliate.
Damage Control
Damage Control X: A cumulative, triggered ability that means, "When your build step starts, you may remove up to X damage counters from this unit."
Deflect
Deflect X: A layered ability activated during the damage prevention POP that means, "Prevent X damage to this unit, and this unit may do that much damage to a unit of your choice in the same arena." Deflect creates new damage that can be done to any unit in the arena (even itself). Deflect may be deflected any number of times. Damage is applied after all prevention and deflects resolve. The damage that the unit does equals the damage it prevented. You can play each Deflect effect only once for each source of damage. Deflect as much damage as you can up to the Deflect value.
Double Damage
Double Damage: An isolated, static ability played during the damage placement POP that means, "Put 1 additional damage counter on the defending unit for each 1 damage that wasn't prevented." Damage counters placed by a unit with Double Damage are in addition to the counters that would be placed normally if the attacking unit did not have Double Damage.
Enhance
Enhance: [Effect]: A selective, static effect that means, "You may play the following effect by paying the additional cost." The effect states whether you play it "instead" or "also". You must declare it to get its effect.
Evade
Evade X: A layered ability activated during the damage prevention POP that means, "Prevent up to X damage to this unit." You can play Evade only once for each instance of damage. You don't have to use all of the Evade. You choose how much damage to Evade up to X, even if the full amount of damage or more is pending.
Focus
Focus X: A cumulative ability triggered by the initial dice roll that means, "When you roll at least one natural five with this unit's attack dice before re-roll, this unit gets +X power for its next attack." Only the first natural "5" counts. A five rolled after re-roll doesn't matter. Focus applies only to dice rolled for an attack, not to dice rolls for abilities like Retaliate. Accuracy can't increase the die roll to a natural "5."
Foresight
Foresight: [Effect]: A static, layered effect that means, "Whenever this unit attacks, you may predict the number of hits that will be rolled for that attack. If you're correct, gain the [effect]." For example, a unit with "Foresight: Gain 2 Force" will give you 2 force if you guess the number of hits rolled correctly.
Forewarning
Forewarning: [Effect]: A static, layered effect that means, "Whenever this unit is attacked, you may predict the number of hits that will be rolled for that attack. If you're correct, gain the [effect]. For example, a unit with "Forewarning: Gain 2 Force" will give you 2 Force if you guess the number of hits rolled correctly.
Fortitude
Fortitude: An isolated, static ability that means, "This unit can prevent unpreventable damage to itself." Units with Fortitude can prevent damage from units with Ferocity and "damage... that can't be prevented" by using Deflect, Evade, Parry, and other damage prevention abilities. Fortitude only allows a unit to prevent unpreventable damage to itself, not to other units. Putting damage counters directly on a unit is not the same thing as doing damage, and also can't be stopped by Fortitude.
Hidden Cost
Hidden Cost X: A selective, static effect that means, "As long as you have a number of build counters on this card equal to X or the unit's current build cost (whichever is less), you may complete it anytime by paying Force for the remaining build cost, if any." Effects and stacking rules may reduce the build cost. You do not need to pay Force if the build cost is within the Hidden Cost integer. You can deploy it to the build zone. Hidden cost can only be played if the card is partially built and has the required number of build counters on it. You may use Hidden cost anytime, even during any Play-or-Pass chances not reserved for re-roll, damage prevention, or disrupt POP chances. If there are a number of build counters on the unit equal to or greater than the Hidden Cost integer, you do not need to pay any Force. You may not use Hidden Cost to deploy a Pilot to a unit.
INSERT
INSERT: A layered, static ability that means, "When this card is in play or stacked under the unit, the unit gets the following effect:" Insert works while in the build zone. The effect works while anywhere in the unit's stack. The granted ability remains to be the ability of its type. (For example, activated abilities granted by Insert may be disrupted.) The granted effect may not work in the build zone as per the rule for the rule for that effect.
Intercept
Intercept: A selective ability activated during the attack POP that means, "If one of your other units is being attacked in the same arena, the attacking unit now attacks this unit instead." Intercept doesn't end the attack. Any number of units may intercept an attack once for each instance of the effect. Each intercepting unit has been attacked. Intercept isn’t a prevention ability. Intercept doesn’t cause a new attack. (It is the same attack.) Your unit may intercept an attack from one of your own units (but not from itself) as long as that unit can attack it. If it can't attack the intercepting unit, you can pay its activation, but the defending unit won’t change. "For this attack" effects do not trigger for each intercept. Some effects may end because they don't apply to the new defending unit unless the effect's conditions are met by the new defending unit. An effect that addresses the attack can't be played for each intercept, but could continue.
Meditate
Meditate: An isolated effect activated during a POP chance or your build step that means, "You may play this card from your discard pile without paying the printed cost. Play only during a POP chance or during your build step. When this card would be discarded, remove it from the game instead." Meditate can only be activated when the card is in your discard pile. Paying the Meditate activation cost means you don't pay the normal printed cost of the card.
Overkill
Overkill: An isolated ability triggered during the pending damage POP that means, "When this unit attacks, you may divide hits in excess of the defending unit's remaining health between that unit and another unit in the same arena." The player who controls the attacking unit decides how many hits (if any) in excess of the defending unit's remaining health to reassign as damage to the second unit. (That player can't change their mind afterward.) A number of hits equal to the defending unit's health must be assigned to the defending unit, and the remainder may be assigned to the defending unit or another unit in the same arena. Overkill damage is caused by the ability, not the die roll. Shields, Parry, and Armor have no effect against it, but damage prevention not specifying dice works normally. Both units resolve damage in tandem.
Parry
Parry X: A cumulative ability triggered during the damage prevention POP that means, "If the attacking unit rolled at least one natural '1' against this unit, prevent X damage to this unit." Only one natural "1" is counted from the attack roll after re-rolls. Parry doesn't prevent damage from a parrying unit unless it attacks itself. Parry can't affect unpreventable damage. If a unit gets the Parry ability after you roll attack dice, it's too late to affect the damage. Accuracy can't decrease the die roll to a natural "1". However, you or your opponent may use an effect to re-roll dice to affect the number of natural ones. (You only count the 1, if any, from the roll used for the attack.) Parry applies only to dice rolled for an attack, not to dice rolls for abilities like Retaliate.
Precision
Precision: An isolated, static ability that means, "This unit cannot be intercepted." An attacking unit with Precision cannot have the target of its attack changed by a unit with the Intercept ability. "Elude" is the former name of this keyword. Treat any unit with Elude as if it has Precision instead.
Reduced Cost
Reduced Cost X: A selective, static effect that means, "This card’s cost is X if the listed condition is met." Reduced Cost on cards refers to the build cost, except for Battle cards, where it refers to the Force activation cost. For this keyword, the conditional statement will always start with "If" for clarity. The condition must be met in order for you to be able to pay the "Reduced Cost."
Retaliate
Retaliate X: A layered ability activated during the attack POP that means, "If a unit in the same arena as this unit is attacking this unit, this unit does X dice of damage to that unit when the attack ends." A Retaliate ability without an activation cost has a printed cost of "Pay 0 Force -->". Retaliate resolves when the attack ends, even if your unit gets discarded. Retaliate dice are just dice of damage, not attack dice, and can trigger Stun. Retaliate based on a unit’s power is based on its total power at the time the Retaliate is activated. Retaliate doesn't work with attacks from another arena (such as Bombard and Ion Cannon) or the build zone. A unit may retaliate against itself if it attacks itself. Each Retaliate may be used once per attack. Each defending unit can activate Retaliate during the attack POP, which resolve in their order when the attack ends, even if the retaliating unit is discarded.
Riposte
Riposte X: A cumulative ability triggered by the roll of a natural two during an attack that means, "If the attacking unit rolled at least one natural two against this unit, this unit does X damage to it when the attack ends." Only one natural "2" is counted from the attack roll after re-rolls. Negative Accuracy can't decrease the die roll to a natural "2". However, you or your opponent may use an effect to re-roll dice to affect the number of natural twos. (You only count the 2, if any, from the roll used for the attack.) Riposte applies only to dice rolled for an attack, not to dice rolls for abilities like Retaliate.
Shields
Shields X: A cumulative, static ability that means, "The attacking unit gets –X power against this unit." Shields only matters when attack dice are rolled. If you give a unit Shields after your opponent has rolled for damage, it doesn't affect the roll.
Stack
Stack: [List]: A layered, static ability that means "You may put a listed card under this unit as part of its stack." The listed cards can't be on top of the stack. Cards with the Stack ability don't count as the cards listed and don't contest with any of the listed cards. If a card is listed by its name you can't stack a card with a different name unless it satisfies a different criteria in the [list] or they represent the same unit. (See the "Different Versions with Different Names" section in the rules PDF) Unlike a normal stack, you can only have one version of each unique unit from the [list] in the stack. Non-unique cards listed on a card with the Stack ability are permitted to form a part of the stack and you can have multiple cards with the same name in the stack as long as they are non-unique. Cards added to a card's stack using the Stack ability cannot exceed the 4 card maximum normal stacking rule. If a unique card with the Stack ability has another version of itself move to the top of it's stack, discard any cards in the stack that can't stack with the new version on top of the stack.
Stealth
Stealth: An isolated, static ability that means, "This unit can't be attacked unless it's tapped or has damage counters on it." An untapped and undamaged unit with Stealth can still be affected by alternative types of damage. (Such as Overkill.) As long as the unit has any number of damage counters on it, it can't use Stealth.
Stun
Stun X: A cumulative ability triggered during the damage placement POP that means, "When this unit damages another unit, that unit gets –X power until end of battle." If no damage counters are placed as a result of damage, Stun doesn't occur. Stun works anytime the unit damages another unit, not just when it attacks. Only the unit with both Deflect and Stun abilities can stun when it activates its Deflect.
Switch
Switch: [1st/2nd/3rd type effect]: A layered, static ability that means, "As long as this unit is in the first arena listed on its type line, it gets the effects listed to the left of the first slash. As long as this unit is in the second arena listed on its type line, it gets the effects listed to the right of the first slash. As long as this unit is in the third arena listed on its type line, if any, it gets the effects listed to the right of the second slash, if any." If it says "None" as one of the arena type's effect, it means that it gets no extra effects while in that arena. The unit's Switch effects will correspond to the types listed on the unit's type line. There won't be a slash for an arena not listed in the unit's type. Switch doesn't allow units to change arenas during the battle phase.
Upkeep
Upkeep: [Cost]: A layered ability triggered when the build step starts that means, "When the build step starts each turn, you must pay the following cost." You must choose one of the costs that you can pay each turn, and ignore the others. You must still pay the Upkeep costs of a unit even if that unit is in the build zone, becomes the top card of a unique unit stack, or Pilots another unit. The Upkeep must be paid if you can pay it. If you can't pay any of the listed costs in full, then ignore Upkeep. If a unit has multiple Upkeep abilities, fulfilling just one of the Upkeep abilities (such as tapping the unit) does not satisfy all the Upkeep costs at once; it would only satisfy that instance of Upkeep. You may choose the order of multiple Upkeep abilities to keep an Upkeep from being paid, though a different order might pay it.
Persuade
Persuade X: An activated ability that means, "Prevent up to X damage to this unit, and the attacking unit, if any, loses power for its next attack equal to the amount of damage prevented this way."