When can Hero Interrupt ( defense ) cards be played? The following is from Expert Defense:

I'm not sure if I can play this after the Full Damage amount is known or not.

For example:

1 . Rhino attacks. He has a base attack of 3.

2 . I choose to defend.

3 . I reveal the Boost card, which has 3 symbols, raising Rhino's attack to 6.

4 . I subtract my defense from the attack of 6, taking the difference in damage.

Can I play Expert Defense between steps 3 and 4, or do I need to play it after step 2?

Sorry if this has been asked already. I looked, I couldn't find the answer.

By my understanding of the rules this particular card would trigger at step 2. The timing is based on the replacement effect "When your hero..." not Hero Interrupt (defense). Hero Interrupt (defense) is a game state that you must be the target of an attack and defending with your hero but does not determine when it happens. "When your hero defends" triggers the replacement effect. I am basing this on "Enemy Attacks" page 6 and "Replacement Effects" page 14 of the rules reference. Hope that helps.

4 hours ago, codytx2 said:

By my understanding of the rules this particular card would trigger at step 2. The timing is based on the replacement effect "When your hero..." not Hero Interrupt (defense). Hero Interrupt (defense) is a game state that you must be the target of an attack and defending with your hero but does not determine when it happens. "When your hero defends" triggers the replacement effect. I am basing this on "Enemy Attacks" page 6 and "Replacement Effects" page 14 of the rules reference. Hope that helps.

This is how I've been playing it, thanks! I've watched a few videos online where people were playing it after the damage spiked higher than their defense, so thought I might be playing it wrong. Then when I couldn't find any explicit turn breakdown with action windows in the rules, I wanted a second opinion.

Your breakdown seems very solid though, so I definitely think you're right.

Agreed - it’s an interrupt, so you’d have to do it ‘when you defend’ which is a choice you make before seeing the boost card.

I prefer using it a step 3 because, without it, that card and his sister Desperate Defence are near useless. Who want to waste cards ( and potential ressources) on a gamble?

Just now, vilainn6 said:

I prefer using it a step 3 because, without it, that card and his sister Desperate Defence are near useless. Who want to waste cards ( and potential ressources) on a gamble?

I do see people online playing it this way, so I think people feel like this should be the way it is played.

I do think, that with how cheap the cards are, the gamble is built in by design (Expert Defense - 0 cost, Desperate Defense - 1 cost).

I find myself seldom running these in my Defense decks as I'm not a fan of the gamble. There is a guy in my group who loves the risk part of it, and he always includes 3 copies of each when I've seen him play Defense.

4 hours ago, DarthofZA said:

I do see people online playing it this way, so I think people feel like this should be the way it is played.

I do think, that with how cheap the cards are, the gamble is built in by design (Expert Defense - 0 cost, Desperate Defense - 1 cost).

I find myself seldom running these in my Defense decks as I'm not a fan of the gamble. There is a guy in my group who loves the risk part of it, and he always includes 3 copies of each when I've seen him play Defense.

I think the situation you use them in determines how much of a gamble it is. A low health hero engaged with minions would probably use one to completely block the villain attack to stay alive or if Rhino has attachments and his attack is already high before the boost card. Or if your character is the 'tank' and will block for other players. Kinda depends on your character's play style and how you built the rest of your deck.

1 hour ago, codytx2 said:

I think the situation you use them in determines how much of a gamble it is. A low health hero engaged with minions would probably use one to completely block the villain attack to stay alive or if Rhino has attachments and his attack is already high before the boost card. Or if your character is the 'tank' and will block for other players. Kinda depends on your character's play style and how you built the rest of your deck.

Let imagine you are playing spiderman and are low on hit point. Rhino stage 2 attack you and you block. Fearing boost icons, you play expert defense but Rhino flip nothing. Next Turn, he kill you because he flip 3 boost and the card you needed was wasted the turn before. Sound Fun?

For me, the defense cards are meant for step 4 when you compare both attack and defense to see the damage delt, no matter what the developpers will say.

50 minutes ago, vilainn6 said:

Let imagine you are playing spiderman and are low on hit point. Rhino stage 2 attack you and you block. Fearing boost icons, you play expert defense but Rhino flip nothing. Next Turn, he kill you because he flip 3 boost and the card you needed was wasted the turn before. Sound Fun?

For me, the defense cards are meant for step 4 when you compare both attack and defense to see the damage delt, no matter what the developpers will say.

Defending at all is a gamble - you have to declare whether you’ll block before you see the card. There’s an element of risk to it, sure, but if you could predict everything in the game it wouldn’t be interesting...

In terms of the timing of cards, they could vary, but the timing of this one is clear.

45 minutes ago, vilainn6 said:

Let imagine you are playing spiderman and are low on hit point. Rhino stage 2 attack you and you block. Fearing boost icons, you play expert defense but Rhino flip nothing. Next Turn, he kill you because he flip 3 boost and the card you needed was wasted the turn before. Sound Fun?

For me, the defense cards are meant for step 4 when you compare both attack and defense to see the damage delt, no matter what the developpers will say.

Does not sound fun and it definitely happens but managing your health efficiently is a part of the game. By that reasoning why declare as a defender against Rhino at all until you flip the boost card? If it is not enough to kill you than it seems a waste to exhaust your hero at all.

I think the difference of opinion is individual play style. In your scenario I don't see playing a defense buff before the boost icon reveal as much of a gamble but staying in hero form with almost no health against a villain known for high attacks is.

8 hours ago, vilainn6 said:

Let imagine you are playing spiderman and are low on hit point. Rhino stage 2 attack you and you block. Fearing boost icons, you play expert defense but Rhino flip nothing. Next Turn, he kill you because he flip 3 boost and the card you needed was wasted the turn before. Sound Fun?

For me, the defense cards are meant for step 4 when you compare both attack and defense to see the damage delt, no matter what the developpers will say.

Why would you stay in hero form for another turn?

17 hours ago, vilainn6 said:

Let imagine you are playing spiderman and are low on hit point. Rhino stage 2 attack you and you block. Fearing boost icons, you play expert defense but Rhino flip nothing. Next Turn, he kill you because he flip 3 boost and the card you needed was wasted the turn before. Sound Fun?

For me, the defense cards are meant for step 4 when you compare both attack and defense to see the damage delt, no matter what the developpers will say.

Thee is also the option of not putting unfun cards in your deck n the first place.