When a card has a “Play:” ability, the effect occurs any time the card is played. For creatures, artifacts, and upgrades, the ability resolves after the card enters play. For action cards, the ability resolves, and then the card is immediately placed in its owner’s discard pile.
If an ability “plays” a card from a source other than hand, “Play:” abilities on the card resolve. If an ability “puts” a card “into play,” “Play:” abilities on the card do not resolve.
If an ability requires a player to play multiple cards from a zone, the cards are played one at a time in the order of the active player’s choosing.
Related Topic: Playing Cards
—KeyForge Master Rulebook v18.3, February 2026