Hi guys,

I have a question regarding the text of “Dark Curse”. Here is the card for reference:

“When defending, ships attacking you cannot spend focus tokens or reroll attack dice.”

Now if an attacker has both a target lock (which normally could be spent to reroll attack dice), and a focus (which normally could be used to modify dice), does Dark Curse’s ability affect both simultaneously? I only ask because I interpret the use of the word “OR” from a programming perspective, meaning you can do one of the following (but not both): “you cannot spend focus tokens” OR “you cannot reroll attack dice”. From my point of view if both were to take effect then they should have used an “AND” operative instead of “OR”, making it read “When defending, ships attacking you cannot spend focus tokens and cannot reroll attack dice”. If it is supposed to be an “OR” then I would imagine the defender would have a choice to pick one of the actions to apply and the attacker would be able to use the other. What are your thoughts on the matter? (Sorry to make a mountain out of a molehill)

You cannot do either one.

Just finished a game with him tonight. My poor opponent kept putting a target lock on him, only to discover it was useless. I read the ability to him and he agreed that was quite handy. When he lined me up to attack later in the game and asked me if that was the guy he couldn't target lock, I said "correct", so he did a focus action instead. He's a slow learner.

Hi guys,

I have a question regarding the text of “Dark Curse”. Here is the card for reference:

“When defending, ships attacking you cannot spend focus tokens or reroll attack dice.”

Now if an attacker has both a target lock (which normally could be spent to reroll attack dice), and a focus (which normally could be used to modify dice), does Dark Curse’s ability affect both simultaneously? I only ask because I interpret the use of the word “OR” from a programming perspective, meaning you can do one of the following (but not both): “you cannot spend focus tokens” OR “you cannot reroll attack dice”. From my point of view if both were to take effect then they should have used an “AND” operative instead of “OR”, making it read “When defending, ships attacking you cannot spend focus tokens and cannot reroll attack dice”. If it is supposed to be an “OR” then I would imagine the defender would have a choice to pick one of the actions to apply and the attacker would be able to use the other. What are your thoughts on the matter? (Sorry to make a mountain out of a molehill)

The use of the words AND, OR and MAY on the cards are generally used very carefully. If there is a choice to be made, it would be stated as a choice and probably worded along these lines: " When defending, ships attacking you may choose to use focus tokens or reroll attack dice, but not both. "

According to the text, it doesn't become an option for anyone to choose, so focus tokens and rerolls aren't allowed. If they used the AND operative as you suggested, the ability would now only work if an attacker was using a focus token as well as rerolls in his attack. A player could state it doesn't apply as he's using a focus token only (or reroll only).

Do you see how it works now?

I only ask because I interpret the use of the word “OR” from a programming perspective, meaning you can do one of the following (but not both)

But programming OR is one or both. XOR is either or.

Welcome to English. ><