action: A monster’s attack, move, or use of a power.

action token: A coin, bead, or some other item used to indicate if a monster has been given an action (other than a free action) and how many actions (other than free actions) that monster has been given.

activate: To initiate the use of a power. A power may be activated by an action given to a monster.

active player: The player currently taking a turn is the active player.

adjacent: Monsters and victims occupying adjacent spaces are adjacent to one another. Monsters and victims on opposite sides of walls are not adjacent.

adjacent space: A space on the map that is touching one center space, including those on the diagonal.

archetype: The victim’s name is also its archetype. Some game effects depend on a victim’s archetype.

army: The force of monsters controlled by a player.

attack: An action that includes an attack roll to determine if one monster hits another.

attack roll: The result of rolling two dice when a monster makes a close or ranged combat attack.

attack value: A number that represents a monster’s ability to successfully hit a target in combat.

attacker: The monster initiating an attack.

base: The piece of plastic on which a figure is mounted.

based: A monster adjacent to an opposing monster is based.

battlefield: The location where the monsters fight.

blocking terrain: Terrain that prevents an attacker from drawing a clear line of fire. Monsters and victims cannot move through blocking terrain. Spaces inside the border of a brown line are blocking terrain.

blooded: When a monster has slain or rescued its first victim, it becomes blooded. Blooded monsters get the ability to frenzy, which allows them to move and then make a close combat attack as a free action.

boundary line: The colored line indicating the type and outermost spaces of an area of terrain. break away: To move away from adjacent opposing monsters.

build total: The maximum value allowed when the point values of all elements of a player’s force for a game are added together.

cabal: A group of monsters working under the leadership of a powerful monster called a cabal leader. Monsters that belong to a cabal have bases and monster cards marked with the cabal symbol. cabal leader: A powerful monster that leads a cabal. It has powers that allow it to either benefit from or affect all the members of its cabal.

class: Groupings that certain monsters belong to, as printed on their monster cards. Different game effects reference and/or might depend on a monster’s class.

clear terrain: Areas of the battlefield where a monster can move or make a ranged combat attack without penalty.

click: A single turn of the dial resulting in a “click” that may be felt and heard.

close combat action: An action given to a monster that allows it to make a close combat attack.

collector’s number: A number specific to a particular monster, victim, card, or other game element.

combat dial: The piece of plastic under a monster’s base, upon which the monster’s powers and combat values are printed.

combat value: The four numbers visible through the stat slot on a monster’s dial, and the number printed next to the lightning bolt(s) on a monster’s base.

controller: The player who currently controls and makes decisions for a monster.

copy: A multiple of a game element. For example, an army can contain more than one copy of a non-Unique figure.

critical hit: Any roll of the dice that results in two 6s showing.

critical miss: Any roll of the dice that results in two 1s showing.

crossroads card: Monster cards with two different starting sides, each representing two entirely different play styles for that monster.

crypt: A player’s beginning hand of plot twist cards. No two cards may be the same.

d6: A six-sided die.

damage: A change in a monster’s condition that brings it closer to being killed, causing a player to click the combat dial of the monster in a clockwise direction.

damage dealt: The number of clicks an attacking monster deals to a target monster.

damage taken: The number of clockwise clicks applied to a target monster.

damage value: A number that represents the number of clicks of damage a monster can deal with a successful attack.

defense value: A number that represents a monster’s ability to avoid being hit.

dependant power: Powers that activate only when a monster is given a particular action.

diagonal: A direction that is neither parallel nor perpendicular but that is on an oblique angle from a central point. The four spaces that meet a central space at that space’s corners are diagonal from that space.

doorway: The edge of a portal marker that shows either an open door/gate or a closed door/gate.

edge: One of the outermost boundaries of a map or an area of terrain.

elevation change modifier: The reduction of a flying monster’s speed value by 1 each time it ascends to soaring level or descends to hovering level.

eliminated: Removed from the game.

evade: To avoid being hit by an attack that would normally be successful.

figure: The sculptural representation of a monster that is mounted on its base.

first player: The person who takes the first turn in a game.

flight indicator: The small piece of plastic that slides up and down on the clear stand to which a flying monster is mounted.

flying: A speed mode that allows monsters to hover and soar. This is indicated by a bat wing symbol printed next to a monster’s speed value.

free action: An action that doesn’t place an action token on a monster.

frenzy: A special kind of action that allows you to assign a blooded character a move action, followed by a close combat attack as a free action.

friendly monsters: Monsters that you control, and monsters controlled by an allied teammate.

grounded: A monster that is not soaring.

healing: Restoring health that has been reduced by damage by clicking the combat dial of a monster in a counterclockwise direction.

hindering terrain: An area containing trees, furniture, debris, objects, and other similar items that might obstruct a monster’s actions. Spaces inside the border of a green line are hindering terrain.

hindering terrain modifier: The addition of 1 to a target’s defense value when the line of fire from the attacker to the target crosses the boundary line of hindering terrain.

hit: When the sum of 2d6 and the attacker’s attack value is equal to or greater than the defense value of the target.

hourglass: A symbol on a monster’s dial that indicates that the monster is currently unable to move, attack, or be attacked in some manner.

hourglass phase: The part of a player’s turn, after the player has finished assigning actions, during which he or she deals 1 unpreventable damage to each monster he or she controls that is showing an hourglass on its dial.

hourglass state: A monster showing one or more hourglasses is in an hourglass state.

hovering: Flying close to the ground.

hunting phase: The part of a player’s turn in which the player gives move, close combat, and ranged combat actions to his or her monsters.

ignores: Is not affected by or treats the stated property or effect as if it didn’t exist or happen.

immovable: A monster showing an hourglass symbol in place of a speed value cannot be assigned move actions; it is immovable. Monsters do not need to roll to break away from immovable monsters.

incapable: A monster showing an hourglass symbol in place of its attack value cannot be assigned any attackFAQ actions; it is incapable.

increase: To modify a value by raising it a set amount.

indoors: Anywhere on a map labeled “Indoor” or “Indoors” or inside a yellow boundary line on a map labeled “Indoor/Outdoor.”

in play: A monster, object, card, or other game piece that has been legally played on the table and that is able to affect the game.

insanity: A monster condition that causes it to leave the control of its owner.

intangible: A monster showing an hourglass symbol in place of its defense value cannot be targeted by any attack, and it does not block line of fire; it is intangible.

killed: A monster that is removed from the game because its dial showed three skull symbols.

line of fire: The path a ranged combat attack takes from an attacker to a target.

lost power: When a power is no longer showing on a monster’s combat dial after the monster takes damage or healing.

minion: A minion is treated like a monster, except that it cannot be blooded and can take only 1 damage before it is killed.

modifier: A number that increases or reduces a combat value, damage dealt, or damage taken.

monster: A playing piece that represents a personality in the game.

monster card: A card that comes with each specific monster; it details that monster’s powers.

move action: An action given to a monster that allows it to move up to its speed value in spaces or make a break away attempt.

no damage: An attack that deals no damage and may not have the damage further modified by powers.

objects: Two- and three-dimensional sculptures and tokens placed on the board during setup (for example, the Tree of the Damned, portals, or tombstones).

opposing monsters: Monsters that are controlled by an opponent.

outdoors: Anywhere on a map labeled “Outdoor” or “Outdoors” or not inside a yellow boundary line on a map labeled “Indoor/Outdoor.”

owner: The player who owns a specific game piece.

penetrating damage: Damage that cannot be reduced by powers that reduce damage dealt.

plot twist card: Cards that commonly allow a player to save a victim from being slain by an enemy monster or that provide any number of other game play effects.

point value: The number of points it costs to add a monster to an army.

portal: Two-sided square cardboard marker used to represent doors and gates; it is an object. The edge of a portal showing a doorway may be either clear or blocking terrain depending on which side of the portal is facing up.

possession: When a player temporarily takes control of an opposing monster.

powers: A monster’s special abilities. Powers are represented on a monster’s combat dial by colored circles surrounding the monster’s combat values.

preview phase: The part of a player’s turn before he or she either moves victims or assigns his or her monsters specific actions.

puppet: The term for a monster that has been possessed.

range: The distance (in spaces) between a monster and a specific space, counting from the center of one space to the next and including the target space.

range value: The maximum distance (in spaces) at which the monster can attack a target.

ranged combat action: An action given to a monster that allows it to make a ranged combat attack.

ranks: The different levels of experience represented by yellow, blue, red, silver, bronze, gold, or purple rings on the monsters’ bases. The colors identify each monster as a rookie, experienced, veteran, Unique, Limited Edition, super-rare, or demonstration monster, respectively.

reduce: To modify a value by lowering it a set amount.

removed from the game: A monster, object, or other game piece that cannot be used again in the current game.

replacement value: A value that is substituted for one of a monster’s combat values.

scenario: Special rules for a particular HorrorClix game, as agreed upon by all players before the game begins.

set symbol: An icon on a monster’s base that marks it as part of a particular HorrorClix set.

slay: When a monster ends its movement on a victim’s space, it slays that victim. Put the slayed victim’s token on the monster card of the monster that slayed it.

smashing: The process of removing portals, tombstones, or other objects from the game.

soaring: Flying high above the battlefield.

speed value: The maximum number of spaces a monster can move in an action.

starting area: An area inside the boundary of a purple line.

starting position: The position on the combat dial that represents a monster’s combat values at the beginning of a game. This position is often designated by a vertical green line to the left of one set of combat values.

stat slot: The L-shaped “window” in a monster’s base through which the monster’s combat dial is visible.

suspense phase: The phase during which the chosen victim is moved.

swimming: A speed mode that allows monsters to treat water terrain as clear terrain for movement. This is indicated by a shark fin symbol printed next to a monster’s speed value.

target: The monster or monsters against which an attack is being made or a power is being directed.

terrain: Map features that represent water, trees, rocks, cars, walls, buildings, and other physical features that might appear on the battlefield.

terrain markers: Square pieces of cardboard used to represent different types of terrain, such as webs, clouds of smoke, fallen statues, and special items required by scenarios.

this monster: The phrase “this monster” always refers to the monster using a power or being given an action.

transform: When some monsters achieve certain objectives indicated on their monster cards, flip over the monster card to reveal new and altered powers on the other side; this is transforming.

unpreventable damage: Damage that cannot be reduced by any power or effect, and cannot be dealt or transferred to a different monster.

victim: Victims are resources to be consumed in order to make your monsters more powerful, neutralized in order to keep your opponent’s monsters from gaining certain advantages, or protected in order to give specific kinds of monsters potent advantages.

victim pool: The combined number of victim tokens all players contribute at the beginning of the game.

victory conditions: The rules that outline how a winner is determined at the end of a HorrorClix game.

vulnerable: When a monster has two action tokens, it is vulnerable. Vulnerable monsters are susceptible to certain kinds of powers and attacks, as indicated by those powers and attacks.

wall: Walls are a special type of blocking terrain indicated by heavy black lines that run along the grid lines marked on the map.

water terrain: Terrain that does not impede the movement of monsters with the fin speed symbol but is hindering terrain to monsters with the boot speed symbol. Spaces inside the boundary of a blue line are water terrain.