This section contains a list of clarifications about components and some situations that can occur during the game.
Timing
Players must resolve alien powers and card abilities according to the specific phases indicated on the component for that power or ability.
However, there are times when multiple people may wish to resolve powers or abilities during the same phase. When this occurs, players resolve their powers or abilities in the following order:
- Offense
- Defense
- Other players in clockwise order, starting with the player to the left of the offense
Alien Power Precedence
If an alien power contradicts a rule from this booklet, the alien power takes precedence.
No Colonies during Regroup Phase When a player would take a ship from the warp during their Regroup Phase, if they have no home or foreign colonies, they place the ship directly on the hyperspace gate and continue their turn as normal.
Re-establishing a Home Colony
If a player draws a destiny card of their own color and has a home planet that has zero ships on it, they may aim the hyperspace gate at it to automatically re-establish a colony with up to four ships from their other colonies.
This counts as a successful encounter, allowing the player to have a second encounter if this was their first encounter this turn.
Defending Without Ships
If the defense has no ships on a planet during an encounter, they still play encounter cards, can receive help from allies, and defend their planet as normal. When determining totals, the defense's own ship value is zero.
Color of Special Destiny Cards
For the purposes of game effects, a special destiny card is treated as a color card that matches the color of the player that the card indicates as the defense.
Depleting the Destiny Deck
If the destiny deck ever has only one card remaining, players cannot draw it. Instead, the remaining card is shuffled into the discard pile to form a new destiny deck.
Cosmic Tokens and Grudge Tokens
Many alien powers require the use of tokens. For example, the Warrior's alien power requires that tokens be placed on its alien sheet. Players use cosmic tokens when resolving powers such as these.
Cosmic tokens have no inherent effects; they produce the effect described in the alien power.
Alternatively, some powers instruct the players to use specific tokens instead, such as as the Grudge tokens used by the Grudge's power.
Cosmic Quake
If a player needs to draw a card from the cosmic deck, and both the cosmic deck and discard pile are empty, then a cosmic quake occurs!
All players discard their hands, the discard pile is shuffled to make a new deck, and eight cards are dealt to each player.
Hazard Warning
Some of the destiny cards are marked with a hazard warning, which is a glowing circle around the colored circle in the upper-left corner. This has no effect on gameplay and is used in expansions.
 Destany Card with Hazapd Warning |
Alternate Filch Flare
An alternate flare card for the Filch alien is included in this game. This card contains the controversial version of the Filch flare card from the classic edition of Cosmic Encounter.
Players can use the Filch flare of their choice, but only one version of the card should be used during a game.
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