My friends and I have a debate on action tokens. Say a ship receives a stress token. The rules state a ship can't perform any actions while stressed. My friends say that ship can receive a token and spend it, bbecause spending a token is not an action. I say that is wrong because it states on the first page of the rule book that a tokens are action tokens. Also it says "tokens mark ships performing specific types of actions."They are say the token is a generation of the action like currency to be spent. I say the toke represents the action being performed, thus can't be use by a stressed ship. Please help.

Spending a token is NOT an action.

The tokens in question are Generated by actions, but can also be gained in other ways.

You can spend however many tokens you wish from a stressed ship.

Example: I can perform a Focus action to assign a Focus token to my ship.

I could, alternatively, receive that Focus token from Kyle Katarn at the start of the combat step.

However I get it, I can spend that Focus token when attacking or defending.

You can receive focus/evade/target lock tokens without performing actions - stress is only a condition for performing actions, not spending tokens

Example:

Fire control System:

After you perform an attack, you may acquire a target lock on the defender. - Note that it does not say "perform a free target lock Action.

Kyle Katarn (pilot)

At the start of the Combat Phase, you may assign 1 of your focus tokens to another friendly ship at Range 1-3. - note it does not say "another friendly ship may perform a focus action

Spending tokens is not an action - so you can do it while stressed

Page 11-12 Rulebook talks about Spending tokens. No where does it mention Stress.

Page 17 Rulebook is where it mentions Stress and not being able to perform action, even free actions.

You are not the first to be confused nor will you be the last. Focus Action and Focus Token (Acquiring and Spending) are confusing to new players.

Spending tokens, receiving tokens and performing actions (that get you tokens) are three completely separate game mechanics. It's important to know the difference between all three, as it's only performing actions that can't be done by a stressed ship.

The problem is not spending the token. Its the fact that the ship

shouldn't receive the token at all. "These tokens mark ships performing specific types of actions." If this is true then the token is the action and not separate from the action.

When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ships are or will perform a focus action. Which contradicts the stress rule.

The problem is not spending the token. Its the fact that the ship

shouldn't receive the token at all. "These tokens mark ships performing specific types of actions." If this is true then the token is the action and not separate from the action.

Sometimes specific abilities on pilot and upgrade cards will contradict the general rules contained in the rulebook.

In those cases the rule on the card overrules the general rule.

Core Rules Page 20:

Breaking The Rules

Some abilities on cards conflict with the general rules. In case of a conflict, card text overrides the general rules.

If one card ability forbids an effect, while another ability allows it, the effect is forbidden.

That said, it has been pointed out to you that performing an action and receiving a token by some other means are not considered the same thing. Stress only limits your ability to perform actions, not receive or spend tokens. This IS correct

When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ships are or will perform a focus action. Which contradicts the stress rule.

You perform the Focus action to gain a Focus token. That's the extent of the Focus action. Anything you do with the token beyond that is not part of the action.

Simplest way to put it is that unless the card says "Action" or "Free Action" or specifically states you must have no Stress tokens, Stress has no effect on you being able to do it.

When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ships are or will perform a focus action. Which contradicts the stress rule.

Spending a token is completely unrelated to how the token was received.

Take, for example, Guri. Her pilot ability is this: "At the start of the Combat phase, if you are at Range 1 of an enemy ship, you may assign 1 focus token to your ship."

Notice it does NOT say she performs a focus (eyeball) action - it says assign her a focus token. If her ability said she performs a free focus action, then you would be right - stress would prevent her from performing that action. But that is not what her ability says - it says ASSIGN her a focus token. Assigning a token is different from performing action. She can perform an S-turn, get a stress token from the red maneuver, and still be assigned the focus token if an enemy ship is at Range 1. She can then spend the token any way she chooses, because spending a token is unrelated to how the token is received.

Does that make sense?

When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ships are or will perform a focus action. Which contradicts the stress rule.

I think the phrasing you are looking for is "When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ship HAS performed a focus action." The action gets you the token. Spending it is different as covered in rulebook page 11-12. But actions are not the only way to get tokens as the examples above have shown. If you still feel all of us are wrong then I would suggest using the customer support/ rules email address provided on the website and get the answer from one of the developers.

An easy way to think about it using a card like Push the Limit. This card allows you to perform a second action and receive a stress token. Say you perform a focus action and an evade action. What use would the card be if I then couldn't spend my tokens? Therefore, I am able to spend tokens when stressed.

An easy way to think about it using a card like Push the Limit. This card allows you to perform a second action and receive a stress token. Say you perform a focus action and an evade action. What use would the card be if I then couldn't spend my tokens? Therefore, I am able to spend tokens when stressed.

Nice. Perfect example.

When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ships are or will perform a focus action.

No, that's not how it works.

When you give your ship a focus token, that means you have had performed a focus action. Performing a Focus, Evade or Target Lock action gives you a token you can spend latter. Spending that token is not however an action itself.

The problem is not spending the token. Its the fact that the ship

shouldn't receive the token at all. "These tokens mark ships performing specific types of actions." If this is true then the token is the action and not separate from the action.

You are reading from the Component Overview section. Actions are further detailed on page 8

All of you guys trying to tell him that spending a token isn't an action. Actually read his posts.

His hang up is in thinking that GAINING a token, no matter the source, qualifies as an action. He's got that you can spend the token while stressed, but he is thinking that Kyle, Garvin, Dutch and so on can't give tokens to stressed ships because he is thinking that counts as the target ship performing an action.

To the OP, it isn't. While performing the appropriate action is the most common way to get a token, it is not the only way. As someone mentioned, cards will trump rules. If an ability on a card says to just give or assign a ship a token, then the ship is not performing an action and stress doesn't bother it. Only if a card says the ship may perform a (free) action does it get tripped up by stress.

I think the phrasing you are looking for is "When you give a ships an eyeball token, that is saying that ship HAS performed a focus action."

When you give your ship a focus token, that means you have had performed a focus action.

When a ship receives a focus token, it may have had performed a focus action.

It may have received the token by something other than an action.

When a ship receives a focus token, it may have had performed a focus action.

It may have received the token by something other than an action.

Good point.