Introducing: Transform and Shift

On Monday we introduced an exciting new card type: backups. Today we’re introducing two new mechanics that are coming soon to UniVersus and will affect how you play your backups in games.

Double-Sided Cards

For the first time in its history, UniVersus is going to be delving into the world of double-sided cards. This exciting step allows us to showcase entirely new design concepts that better represent the worlds we visit within the game. We’ll be using double-sided cards in several different ways, often to reflect the dual nature of a character or a progression from one state of being to another. For example, a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde type character card could allow us to show a mild-mannered, professorial type on its front side, while the other side allows us to show a monstrous villain. We’ll talk more about double-sided characters later this week, but first—how does a card change from one side to the other?

Introducing: Transform

Double-sided cards have abilities that allow them to “transform.” To transform a card is to change it to its opposite side. Cards that can transform have a default state of the front side being the “face” of the card for rules and gameplay purposes. If a double-sided card changes its zone of play, changes facing, or changes publicity, it returns to its front side unless specified otherwise by cards. (Note: “flipping” a card is separate from transforming a card.)

The conditions that cause a card to “transform” are laid out on each double-sided card.

Many cards with the ability to transform will have a new keyword ability that impacts how they’re played, which brings us to our next new mechanic!

Introducing: Shift

Coming in August is a new keyword ability called “Shift.” Cards with Shift have the following continuous ability:

As this card clears from your card pool during your End Phase, you may build it transformed (opposite side up).

As a keyword, Shift helps players identify which cards are associated with this particular transform ability. It’s a “may” ability so you don’t have to choose to do it; if you opt not to transform your card, you may add your Shift attack to your Momentum instead. You’ll see Shift on a brand new cycle of cards: attacks that transform into Backups. These exciting cards allow players to play both their Attacks and Backups in a single card. 

Up Next

On Friday we’ll reveal another exciting use of double-sided cards: transforming characters. Make sure to check out our card image gallery for sneak peeks at some of the concepts coming soon to UniVersus!