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GAME DESIGN b

WINNING THE GAME

The goal of the game is to forge three keys, which are
represented by key tokens.
WELCOME TO THE CRUCIBLE… Each player begins the game with three unforged key tokens.
When a key is forged, flip one token to its forged side.
You are an Archon. Hailed by some as a god, respected by others for your
wisdom, you were born—or perhaps created—on the Crucible, a world in
which anything is possible.

OVERVIEW
KeyForge is a two-player card game in which each player takes the role of an
Archon, and leads that Archon’s deck against their opponent.
Unforged Forged
A player’s deck represents a team that is attempting to gain Æmber and forge keys.
The first player to gather three keys is able to unlock a Vault and win the game. If a player has six Æmber at the start of their turn, that player must
spend that Æmber to forge one key. The first player to forge all
The defining feature of KeyForge is that no two decks are alike. This is not a
three of their keys wins the game.
trading card game—you cannot craft a deck. Rather, each deck must remain as
it is. Every deck in existence is unique!
The goal of this Quickstart is to get you playing as soon as possible and guide
you though your first few turns. The best way to learn the game is to dive right HOW TO PLAY
in! Set up the game using the following instructions. Then, read the rest of
To play a game of KeyForge, players alternate taking turns until a player wins
this Quickstart and begin your first game. If you encounter terms or rules that
the game by forging three keys. While a player is taking a turn, they are the
are not outlined in this Quickstart, they can be found in the most up-to-date
active player. During a turn, the active player performs five steps in order,
version of the official KeyForge rulebook located at [Link].
each of which is described in this section.

SETUP STEP ONE: FORGE A KEY

To begin setup, each player chooses an Archon deck to play with during the The cost to forge a key is six Æmber. During this step, if the active player
game. Each deck is led by an Archon, whose name is on the deck’s identity has six (or more) Æmber in their Æmber pool (on their identity card), they must
card, shown below. (For these decks, the identity card is also the deck list.) All spend six Æmber to forge a key. The active player places spent Æmber in the
the cards in the deck are marked with that Archon’s name. common supply and flips one of their unforged key tokens so the forged side
is faceup.
Each player places their identity card on the table in front them, shuffles their
deck, and places it next to their identity card. Three key tokens are placed near No more than one key can be forged during this step each turn. If the active
each player’s deck with the unforged sides faceup. player does not have enough Æmber to forge a key, nothing occurs during
this step.
Note: If players do not have key tokens (or any other tokens shown here), they
can represent the tokens using other objects such as coins, beads, etc.
aturalist of Car Keys
Wu, the N

Spend
DECK LIST
Logos  241 Techno-Saurus
 067 Bot Bookton  244 Deusillus 

Wu, the N
aturalist of Car Keys
DECK LIST
 068 Dæmo-Bot
 070 Diametric Charge
 075 Lethologica
 244 Deusillus 

Star Alliance six Æmber.

 303 Blast Shielding
Logos  241 Techno-Saurus  076 Munchling
 312 Securi-Droid
 067 Bot Bookton  244 Deusillus   077 Opposition Research
 312 Securi-Droid
 068 Dæmo-Bot  244 Deusillus   078 Q-Mechs
 313 Sensor Chief Garcia
 070 Diametric Charge Star Alliance  080 Standardized Testing
 313 Sensor Chief Garcia
 075 Lethologica
 303 Blast Shielding  085 Dimension Door
 076 Munchling  314 Subdue
 312 Securi-Droid  093 Novu Dynamo
 316 Survey

Flip one key

 077 Opposition Research
 312 Securi-Droid  102 Cyber-Clone
 078 Q-Mechs  327 Particle Sweep
 313 Sensor Chief Garcia
 107 Mind Over Matter
 080 Standardized Testing  328 Quintrino Flux
 313 Sensor Chief Garcia
 085 Dimension Door  330 Stunner

token.
 314 Subdue
Saurian
 093 Novu Dynamo
 316 Survey  117 It’s Coming...  333 Xenotraining
 102 Cyber-Clone  187 Consul Primus  351 Quixxle Stone
 327 Particle Sweep
 107 Mind Over Matter  192 Faust the Great
 328 Quintrino Flux
Saurian  330 Stunner  192 Faust the Great
 117 It’s Coming...  333 Xenotraining  197 Spoils of Battle
 187 Consul Primus  351 Quixxle Stone  207 Hedonistic Intent
Enhanced

 192 Faust the Great

 Gigantic

 210 Saurian Egg

 192 Faust the Great
 213 Stomp
 197 Spoils of Battle WWuu, ,ththeeNNaNatuaturtu
araliliststoof Car
ralist f Car  215 Amphora Captura
 207 Hedonistic Intent WWuu, ,ththeeKKeyNey astussralistoof fCCaar r
KKeyey
Unforged Key Tokens
Enhanced

s
 Gigantic

 210 Saurian Egg

 213 Stomp
 215 Amphora Captura

Identity Card Deck

STEP TWO: CHOOSE A HOUSE
Place all Æmber and damage tokens, as well as stun, power, enrage, and ward Each identity card shows the three houses that make up its deck. During this
counters, within easy reach of both players to create the common supply. step, the active player chooses one of these three houses and activates it. The
chosen house is the active house for the remainder of the turn. The active
player will only be able to play and use cards of the active house this turn, so
choose carefully!

Æmber Damage Stun Power Enrage Ward

Token Token Counter Counter Counter Counter

Randomly determine a player to take the first turn. This may be done by
flipping a coin. The first player draws seven cards, and the other player
draws six cards.
The players are now ready to begin the game.
 PLAYING CARDS
During step three of their turn, the active player can play any number of cards
that belong to the active house.
STEP THREE: PLAY, DISCARD, AND USE CARDS OF THE ACTIVE HOUSE
This is the step during which most of the game is played.
BONUS ICONS (NEW)
Many cards have bonus icons in the upper-left corner.
During this step, the active player may play, use, and/or discard from hand
After a card with a bonus icon is played, the first thing
any number of cards that belong to the active house (chosen during step two).
the active player does is resolve each bonus icon on that
Eligible cards may be played, used, and/or discarded in any order. HOUSE:
card. There are four types of bonus icons:
Rules for playing, using, and discarding cards are described in further detail
Æmber (): Gain 1 Æmber. Each time a player gains ÆMBER:
later in this Quickstart.
Æmber (for any reason), the Æmber is placed in their
First Turn Rule: During the first player’s first turn, that player may play or Æmber pool (on that player’s identity card). The number of Æmber
discard from hand only one card of the active house. symbols on the card is
Capture (): A friendly creature captures 1 Æmber the amount of Æmber
from the opponent. (This Æmber is taken from the gained. This card grants
STEP FOUR: READY CARDS opponent’s pool and placed on that creature.) one Æmber.
During this step, the active player readies all of their exhausted cards.
Damage (): Deal 1 damage to a creature in play.
All cards in play exist in one of two states: ready or exhausted. Generally, a card
Draw (): Draw 1 card.
must be ready for a player to use it. Using a card typically causes it to become
exhausted. The “ready cards” step is when the active player gets to ready their
Imp
cards for their following turn.
PLAY ABILITIES
Some cards have a bold “Play:” ability. Such abilities resolve after the card’s
Play: Destroy a fri
bonus icons are resolved, if it has any, and after the card enters play.
enemy creature.
HOUSE: LOGOS
ENTERING PLAY EXHAUSTED “What’s tha
– Lost L
ÆMBER:

When a creature or artifact enters play, it enters play exhausted. This

ART:
4
or “Fight: Steal 1A.”
gains (choose one): +2 armor, assault 2,
for the remainder of the turn, Adaptoid
After you play a card with a bonus icon,
Enhance (PTDR).
Grigory Serov

means that generally a player will not be able to use a card during the same
ÆMBER:

HOUSE:

Adaptoid
099

4 turn that it is played.

Adaptoid

~
CREATURE
MUTANT

CREATURE
ART:

MUTANT
Enhance (PTDR). Mariana
SouEnnes 008
LOGOS

After you play a card with a bonus icon, Soul Fiddle lkeeper
for the remainder of the turn, Adaptoid ARTIFACT UPGRADE
©2020 FFG

gains (choose one): +2 armor, assault 2, This creature gains, “Destroyed:

or “Fight: Steal 1A.” HOUSE: DIS HOUSE: DIS HOUSE: DIS HOUSE:
Destroy DIS
the most powerful enemy
~

Grigory Serov 099 ÆMBER: 1 ÆMBER: ÆMBER:

creature.”
ÆMBER: 1
©2020 FFG

ART: ART: ART: ART:

©2020 FFG
Ready Exhausted
Imp-losion 4 Snudge
ACTION
ITEM
CREATURE

DEMON
~
Play: Destroy a friendly creature and an Action: Enrage a creature.
Fight/Reap: Return an artifact or flank
enemy creature. Its evil hiss is the closest demons come to music. creature to its owner’s hand.
“What’s that ticking sound?”
It’s only sensible to fear the dark.

STEP FIVE: DRAW CARDS

– Lost Lukas Lawrence
©2020 FFG

©2020 FFG

©2020 FFG
Mariana Ennes 008 Liiga Smilshkalne 031 Eric Kenji Aoyagi 030 Grigory Serov 032

During this step, the active player draws cards from the top of their deck until
they have six cards in their hand. If the active player already has six or more Action card Artifact Creature Upgrade
cards in their hand, no cards are drawn at this time. If a player needs to draw
but has no cards remaining in their deck, that player shuffles their discard pile CARD TYPES
to create a new deck and continues drawing. There are four types of cards that appear in decks:
Soulkeeper
If the active player has enough Æmber on their identity card to forge a key, action cards, artifacts, upgrades, and creatures. There UPGRADE

This creature gains, “Destroyed:

are different rules for how each type is played.

HOUSE:
Destroy DIS
the most powerful enemy

they announce “Check!” to their opponent, so that their opponent knows they creature.”
ÆMBER: 1

ART:

Action cards: When an action card is played, the active

©2020 FFG
are able to forge a key at the beginning of their next turn.
After this step, the active player’s turn is over. The other player becomes the player resolves the card’s “Play:” ability, and then
active player and takes their turn, beginning with step one. places the card in their discard pile.
HOUSE: DIS

Artifacts: When an artifact is played, the active player

ÆMBER:

ART:

places it in their play area behind their battleline (see Grigory Serov 032

Creatures). Artifacts enter play exhausted, but they

QUICK REFERENCE
Snudge
4 ~
remain in play from turn to turn.
CREATURE

DEMON
Fight/Reap: Return an artifact or flank
creature to its owner’s hand.

A turn sequence and icon key are provided here for easy reference. Upgrades: When an upgrade is played, the active It’s only sensible to fear the dark.

©2020 FFG
player chooses a creature and attaches the upgrade to Eric Kenji Aoyagi 030

TURN SEQUENCE BONUS ICONS that creature, placing it beneath (slightly overlapped by)
the creature. Each upgrade remains in play from turn to The “Soulkeeper”
Forge a key. Æmber  turn and modifies the card to which it is attached.
upgrade is attached to
the “Snudge” creature.
Choose a house. Capture If the card to which an upgrade is attached leaves play,
Play, discard, and use cards
Damage the upgrade is discarded.
of the chosen house. Draw 
Ready cards. KEYFORGE MASTER VAULT
Join the KeyForge community with the KeyForge
Draw cards. Master Vault! With it you can manage your Archon deck
collection, earn rewards and explore the world of the
Crucible! The KeyForge Master Vault app is available for
both iOS and Android, and at [Link].

KEYFORGE QUICKSTART
Creatures: Creatures enter play exhausted, in a line known as the battleline. FIGHTING
This line is a row of creatures in front of the player. Each time a creature enters Any ready creature of the active house may be used to fight.
play, it must be placed on a flank — at the far left or the far right of its controller’s
When a creature is used to fight, exhaust the card. Then, its controller chooses
battleline. Creatures remain in play from turn to turn.
one creature controlled by the opponent as the target of the attack. A creature
cannot fight if there is no enemy creature that can be targeted by the attack.
HOUSE: LOGOS HOUSE: LOGOS Each of the two creatures deals an amount of damage (which is explained
ÆMBER: ÆMBER:

later) equal to its power to the other creature. All damage from a fight is dealt

4
Your A cannot be stolen.
Grigory Serov

the Vaults. Few but the Sanctum would presume to

Few but the Archons possess the ability to detect
ART: ART:

simultaneously.

dictate which Archons are worthy.

The Vaultkeeper

ÆMBER:

HOUSE:
176

SPIRIT • KNIGHT
CREATURE
After the fight resolves, if the attacking creature survives the fight, resolve all of

ART:
Adaptoid Odd Clawde
4 ~ 5 ~

SANCTUM
CREATURE CREATURE

that creature’s “Fight:” abilities.

MUTANT MUTANT • SCIENTIST
Enhance (PTDR). Action: If your opponent has an odd
After you play a card with a bonus icon, amount of A, steal 1A.
for the remainder of the turn, Adaptoid Even Clawde has to admit that the dark æmber
experiment was not entirely successful.

1
©2020 FFG

©2020 FFG
gains (choose one): +2 armor, assault 2, ©2020 FFG
or “Fight: Steal 1A.”
Grigory Serov 099 Hans Krill 121
DAMAGE
When the “The Vaultkeeper” creature is played, it is If a creature is dealt damage (for any reason), place an amount of damage on the
placed on the flank of the battleline. creature equal to the amount of damage dealt. If a creature has an amount of
HOUSE: SAURIAN
damage on it equal to or greater than its power total, the creature is destroyed
ÆMBER:
If a creature leaves play, gaps in the battleline are removed by shifting the and placed in its owner’s discard pile. If a creature has an armor value (to the
line inward. right of a card’s title), the armor preventsART:that much incoming damage each turn.
A “~” symbol indicates that the creature has no armor.

HOUSE: LOGOS

ÆMBER:

Thero Centurion 1
6
ART:
HOUSE: DIS HOUSE: LOGOS

ÆMBER: ÆMBER:
CREATURE
ART: ART:

Adaptoid DINOSAUR • SOLDIER

4 CREATURE
~ Power Play/Fight: Capture 1A. Armor
MUTANT
Enhance (PTDR).
Snudge Odd Clawde “For the good of the Republic!”
4 CREATURE
~
After you play a card with a bonus icon,
for the remainder of the turn, Adaptoid 5 CREATURE
~
Example: Sally, who has activated house Saurian this turn, decides to fight
©2020 FFG

DEMON gains (choose one): +2 armor, assault 2, MUTANT • SCIENTIST

Fight/Reap: Return an artifact or flank or “Fight: Steal 1A.” Action: If your opponent has an odd

©2020 FFG
creature to its owner’s hand. Grigory Serov 099
amount of A, steal 1A.
It’s only sensible to fear the dark. Even Clawde has to admit that the dark æmber
experiment was not entirely successful.
using Thero Centurion (power 6). She exhausts Thero Centurion and chooses
©2020 FFG

©2020 FFG

Eric Kenji Aoyagi 030 Hans Krill 121

one of her opponent’s creatures,
Timur Shevtsov Moor
198 Wolf (power 2). Thero Centurion deals
When the “Adaptoid” creature leaves play,
6 damage to Moor Wolf, and Moor Wolf tries to deal 2 damage to Thero
the battleline is shifted inward. Centurion, but 1 of this damage is prevented by Thero Centurion’s armor. The
dealt damage is placed on the two creatures simultaneously. As Moor Wolf
only has 2 power and now has 6 damage on it, it is destroyed and placed in its
owner’s discard pile. Thero Centurion remains in play with 1 damage on it.
DISCARDING CARDS
During step three of their turn, the active player can discard from their hand any
number of cards of the active house. This lets the player remove cards they do
not want to play, freeing up space to draw new cards at the end of the turn. ADVANCED CONCEPTS
Some cards in the unique Archon decks might raise new questions. The
THE DISCARD PILE following are a number of concepts, terms, and keywords players may
Any time a card is discarded (or destroyed) for any reason, it is placed in its encounter while playing the game. For more information, and an introduction
owner’s discard pile. This is a faceup pile of cards next to that player’s deck. to the setting, please visit [Link] to find the latest version of the
complete KeyForge Rulebook.

USING CARDS ARCHIVES

During step three of their turn, the active player can use any number of cards of A player’s archives is a facedown game area near that player’s identity card.
the active house that they have in play. Card abilities are the only means by which a player is permitted to add cards
Creature cards can be used to do one of three things: reap, initiate their action to their archives. During step two of a player’s turn, after they select an active
ability, or fight. Generally, upgrade and artifact cards can only be used to initiate house, the active player is permitted to pick up all cards in their archives and
their action ability. add those cards to their hand.
A player may look at their archives at any time. A player is not permitted to
REAPING look at an opponent’s archives.
Any ready creature of the active house may be used to reap. If the ability instructing a player to archive a card does not specify where the
When a creature is used to reap, exhaust the card. Then, its controller gains card is archived from, the archived card comes from that player’s hand.
one Æmber from the common supply and resolves all of the creature’s
“Reap:” abilities if it has any. CAPTURE
Captured Æmber is taken from an opponent’s Æmber pool and placed on a
INITIATING ACTION ABILITIES creature controlled by the capturing player. Players may not spend captured
Any ready card of the active house may be used to initiate its “Action:” ability, Æmber.
if it has one. To use a card’s “Action:” ability, exhaust the card and resolve the When a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is placed in the
described effect. opponent’s Æmber pool.
If a card is already exhausted, its “Action:” ability cannot be initiated. Unless otherwise specified, Æmber is placed on the creature that captured it.

CHAIN, CHAINS, CHAIN TRACKER

CARD ABILITIES When playing KeyForge, chains are sometimes
To resolve a card’s ability, a player follows the instructions described on required as an additional cost for certain card abilities.
the card. When resolving a card ability, resolve as much of the ability as The tracker pictured to the right can be used to track
possible. If the text of a card directly contradicts the text of the rules, the number of chains a player has.
the text of the card takes precedence.
If a player has at least one chain when refilling their
hand during step five, they draw fewer cards based on Chain Tracker and Token
the chain tracker. Then, they shed one chain and lower their chain tracker by 1.
ENHANCE (NEW)
The enhance keyword has no effect during gameplay. Instead, each card with THE UNIQUE DECK GAME
the enhance keyword has added the indicated bonus icons to random cards in KeyForge is a Unique Deck Game (UDG) in which
your deck. (This has already happened during the deck generation process.) every deck is unique.
ENRAGE Each Archon deck is a one-of-a-kind deck that is
ready to play as soon as you open it. These decks
When a creature becomes enraged, place an enrage status counter on it. When
can be played against one another, or against your
a creature with an enrage counter on it is used, it must be used to fight, if able.
friends’ decks. As no two decks are alike, every game
After a creature with an enrage counter on it fights, remove all enrage counters
is different!
from it.
Additional Archon decks are sold separately, and
While a creature has an enrage counter on it, it cannot be enraged again.
each deck adds a greater variety of possibilities to
EXALT your collection. There are more than 400 different Two Unique
cards in the Mass Mutation card pool. With each Mass Mutation Decks
When an effect instructs you to “exalt” a creature, take 1 Æmber from the
deck, you will discover a new and singular mix of
common supply and place it on that creature. cards, tactics, and strategic potential.
When a creature with Æmber on it leaves play, the Æmber is placed in the
Should you seek even greater
opponent’s Æmber pool. competition, KeyForge Mass Mutation
tournaments and championship Display
GIGANTIC CREATURES (NEW)
events are sanctioned and
Gigantic creatures are rare creatures that are spread out over 2 cards, with one supported by Fantasy Flight
card containing the creature’s text box and the other its art. In order to play a Games Organized Play. Find us
gigantic creature, a player must have both halves of the creature in hand, and online at [Link].
play those cards together as a single creature. While in play, a gigantic creature
is treated as a single creature for the purposes of all card and game effects.
OMNI
The active player may trigger any ”Omni:“ abilities under their control during
any of their turns, even if the card with the ”Omni:“ ability does not belong to
the active house. CREDITS
+1 POWER KeyForge Game Design: Richard Garfield
Expansion Design and Development: Brad Andres, Aaron Haltom,
When a creature is given a “+1 power counter,” one such status counter is and Daniel Schaefer
placed on the creature. For each of these counters that is on a creature, that Producer: Jason Walden
creature’s power is increased by one. Fiction: Daniel Lovat Clark
STUN Editing: Andreas Wolfsteller
Proofreading: Molly Glover
When a creature becomes stunned, place a stun status counter on it. While a Card Game Manager: Jim Cartwright
creature is stunned, it cannot fight, reap, or use action or omni abilities. Expansion Graphic Design: Caitlin Ginther with Nate Carnahan
A stunned, ready creature of the active house can be used by exhausting and Neal W. Rasmussen
it to remove its stun status counter. If a card effect would cause a stunned Graphic Design Coordinator: Joseph D. Olson
creature to fight, reap, or use an action or omni ability, instead that creature is Graphic Design Manager: Christopher Hosch
exhausted and the stun status counter is removed. Cover Art: David Kegg
Art Direction: Crystal Chang and Preston Stone
Constant abilities and abilities that do not require the creature to reap, fight, or Managing Art Director: Tony Bradt
be used are still active. Technology Implementation: Evan Hall and Lukas Adrian Peregrine
If a stunned creature is attacked, it still deals damage to the attacking creature Quality Assurance Coordination: Andrew Janeba and Zach Tewalthomas
during the fight. Production Management: Jason Glawe
Visual Creative Director: Brian Schomburg
While a creature is stunned, it cannot be stunned again. Senior Project Manager: John Franz-Wichlacz
WARD VP of Product Development: Chris Gerber
Executive Game Designer: Nate French
When a creature becomes warded, place a ward status counter on it. When a
Head of Studio: Andrew Navaro
creature with a ward counter on it would be damaged or leave play, instead
discard each ward counter on it. PLAYTESTERS
While a creature has a ward counter on it, it cannot be warded again. Ryan Alexander, Jayson Burns, Brooks Clark, Amy Claxton, David Claxton, Jacob
Claxton, Mallorie Coan, Bryden Cole, Don Cox, Micah Crosley, Tori Dismukes, Trey
Dismukes, Ira Fay, Charlie Fiddler, David Gagner, Chelley Henry, Jeff Henry, Teri Sue
KEYWORDS: Hitchcock, Marty Hoppock, Nicholas Johnson, Hyungmin Kang, George Keagle, Erik
Assault (X) – Before this creature attacks, deal X damage to the attacked enemy. Kemnitz, Ben Kline, Joe Kell, Matt Lansdowne, Brett Leeson, Kortnee Lewis, Scott Lewis,
Tobin Lopes, Zachary Lopes, Chris Mayfield, Ben-Jammin Miller, Noel Miller, Robert
Deploy – When you play a creature with the deploy keyword, it can be played Nelson, Chase Peterson, Ícaro Veneroso Rocha Silva, Marlus Clayton de Oliveira Rocha
anywhere into your battleline instead of on a flank. Silva, Ben Rothman, Jason Scarrow, Asher Stuhlman, Colleen Tanyag, Zach Tedford,
Peter Yang, Noah Young, Ryan Young, and Frances Zeller
Elusive – The first time this creature is attacked each turn, no damage is dealt by
either creature.
Enhance – The listed bonus icons have been added to random cards in the deck.
Hazardous (X) – When this creature is attacked, it deals X damage to the attacker
before the fight resolves. [Link]
© 2020 Fantasy Flight Games. The Unique Game logo is TM of Fantasy Flight Games. Keyforge, Fantasy Flight
Poison – Any creature dealt damage by this creature during a fight is destroyed. Games, and the FFG logo are ® of Fantasy Flight Games. Gamegenic and the Gamegenic logo are TM/®
& © Gamegenic GmbH, Germany. Fantasy Flight Games is located at 1995 West County Road B2, Roseville,
Skirmish – When this creature is used to fight, it is dealt no damage in return. Minnesota, 55113, USA, 651-639-1905.

Taunt – This creature’s neighbors cannot be attacked unless they have Taunt.

KEYFORGE QUICKSTART