Element markers

Frequently Asked Questions

Aspects

• When Dark Fire gains a Moon/Fire for only a single action (e.g., when playing Elemental Invocation), can it treat that Element as the other?
  Yes. That is an Element available to you, even if it's only available for a limited purpose.

  This also applies in the rare case that the Dark Fire Aspect is gifted "Elemental Teachings" and spends a prepared Element marker to have an Element for a single action. But it doesn't let the Dark Fire Aspect use Moon markers as Fire markers or vice versa, whether to spend with "Elemental Teachings" or spend for the effect via the Intensify Aspect. (The Dark Fire Aspect has flexibility in the first case only because even though it spends a Moon Marker as a Moon Marker, the resulting Moon Element can instead count as a Fire Element.)
  Tags: Elements, Element markers, Elemental Invocation, Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 2 more...
• Do the modifiers from Intensify carry over when Repeating a Power?
  No, since they apply to actions (e.g., one use of a Power) rather than to Powers directly. However, since each new use of a Power is a new action, the marker limit resets for each subsequent use.
  Tags: Repeat, Action Modifiers, Element markers, Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 0 more...
• When the Intensify Aspect uses a Plant marker to increase the amount of destroyed Presence added with an action, can it only add one extra instead of two extra?
  Only if there's exactly one extra destroyed Presence to add. If there are two extra destroyed Presence, both must be added, even if you'd rather leave one of them destroyed.
  Tags: Presence, Element markers, Action Modifiers, Destroyed Presence, 1 more...
• What can the Intensify Aspect spend its Element markers on, aside from its Powers?
  Any other Spirit action that Shifting Memory of Ages is doing. However, almost all of the Spirit actions that the Intensify Aspect can usefully boost are either the use of one of their powers or a triggered action created by their powers (e.g., increasing the Damage from Vengeance of the Dead).

  They generally can't spend Element Markers to boost the Powers of other Spirits, even if those Powers involving Shifting Memory of Ages making choices, since using a Power is the action of the Spirit targeting the Power, not the Spirit being targeted.

  To cover some of the more unusual cases:

  • Intensify can spend Element markers on actions granted to it by other Spirits to use at a later point in the turn, like adding a Disease with Scream Disease Into the Wind or doing Damage with Gift of the Sparking Sky.
  • Intensify can spend a Fire marker on a Ritual of Destroying Flame.
  • Intensify can't spend Element markers on benefits that aren't actions, like the ongoing defense from Bargains of Power and Protection.

  Tags: Action Modifiers, Element markers, Triggered Actions, Scream Disease Into the Wind, 4 more...
• When does the Intensify Aspect spend Element Markers? Does it have to have Element Markers handy when it plays a Power during Spirit Phase?
  When it's actually performing the instruction it wants to boost. In the case of Powers, this generally means when using the Power in either Fast Phase or Slow Phase. However, if a Power creates Triggered Actions, the markers are spent when the Triggered Action actually happens, which might be at a later time.

  As an example, consider Infestation of Venomous Spiders. In the Fast Phase, Intensify can spend an Animal marker to add +1 Beasts and a Water marker to gather up to +1 Beasts. If it hits the threshold, it can also spend Fire each time the Damage triggers (usually in the Ravage Step, Build Step, or Explore Step) to increase that instance of Damage by 1.
  Tags: Timing, Element markers, Triggered Actions, Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 0 more...
• Can the Intensify Aspect spend any Element markers on Push, Gather, Bring, Upgrade, or Downgrade instructions?
  Yes. Push, Gather, and Bring are all special forms of Move, so they can be boosted with Water markers. Upgrade and Downgrade are special forms of Replace (or Remove, in the case of downgrading Explorers), so they can be boosted with Moon markers.
  Tags: Element markers, Upgrade, Downgrade, Push, 3 more...
• Does the Bonus space on the Intensify Aspect grant extra Element Markers?
  No, that space works like any other Elements on a Presence Track: Shifting Memory of Ages adds those Elements to its total for the purpose of hitting Elemental thresholds and paying for Choice Events.

  However, the Moon element gives the Intensify Aspect reliable access to at least one Element Marker each turn via "Observe the Ever-Changing World."
  Tags: Bonus Spaces, Elements, Element markers, Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 1 more...
• Can the Intensify Aspect spend an Air marker to get an extra use of a Power?
  No, the Air marker lets Intensify use a Slow Power in the Fast Phase instead of the Slow Phase.
  Tags: Element markers, Action Modifiers, Speed (Fast/Slow), Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 0 more...
• If the Mentor Aspect gives another Spirit Elemental Boon, which Element Markers can they pick from? How about if it gives Gift of Nature’s Connection?
  While not in play, Elemental Boon counts has having whichever Elements on it are most convenient, so Mentor can get 2 Element Markers of their choice when gifting that Minor Power. Gift of Nature's Connection, on the other hand, has no Elements printed on it, so Mentor gets only 1 Element Marker when gifting it.
  Tags: Element markers, Elemental Boon, Gift of Nature's Connection, Mentor Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 0 more...
• Can the Intensify Aspect create multiple marked Beasts with one use of Unearth a Beast of Wrathful Stone?
  No. While it can spend an Animal marker to add an additional Beasts token, the second token won't get marked.
  Tags: Action Modifiers, Element markers, Unearth a Beast of Wrathful Stone, Intensify Aspect (Shifting Memory of Ages), 0 more...

Scenarios

• When are Scenario Markers / Element Markers considered pieces?
  Nearly anytime they're placed on the board. The only exception is if they're purely a visual reminder, like in The Great River, or if used to mark Inner Lands for Guard The Isle's Heart. (JE p. 35, "Piece")

  This might be revisited if future content results in weird situations, as some of the cases are kind of borderline (eg: Rituals of the Destroying Flame), but for now the simplicity of "always" wins out.

  Element Markers placed on the board for Elemental Invocation are not considered "pieces" - the first printings of Jagged Earth considered them as pieces that were basically non-interactable (since they're not in any land); it's cleaner to just not count them as pieces at all.
  Tags: Element markers, Pieces, Changed rulings, Despicable Theft, 9 more...
• When playing Elemental Invocation, what happens to Element Markers on the border of lands sunk by Deeps or Destroyed by Cast Down Into the Briny Deep?
  If the Element Marker is still on the border of a land, it interacts normally with Powers and other Element Markers. It still counts as being on a corner; it's just not necessarily at the intersection of multiple lands.

  If the Element Marker is completely contained within a land because all lands surrounding it have been merged, then it's no longer on a land border at all and only counts towards Choice Events.
  Tags: Element markers, Elemental Invocation, Cast Down into the Briny Deep, Deeps Aspect (Ocean's Hungry Grasp), 1 more...

Spirits and Innate Powers

• Can Shifting Memory of Ages spend element markers to give other Spirits elements?
  Only by using their Unique Power "Elemental Teachings." The normal "gain an Element for 1 action" benefit is for Shifting Memory only.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Elements, Element markers, Prepare, Shifting Memory of Ages, 2 more...
• For Shifting Memory of Ages' innate which lets them prepare element markers, if the pieces in the land change during an Action but end up the same as they were, do you get an Element marker?
  Yes. The pieces in the land change, so the effect triggers.

  The word "After" just signals that you only get the Elements after the first power finishes.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Triggered Actions, Element markers, Prepare, Observe the Ever-Changing World (Shifting Memory of Ages), 1 more...
• For Shifting Memory of Ages' innate which lets them prepare element markers: if a single power changes a bunch of things in the target land, can I get multiple element markers?
  No. You can only earn 1 Element Marker per Action, no matter how many changes that Action makes to the land. (Because the rule is phrased as “After X do Y “, it triggers exactly once after each qualifying Action.)
  Tags: Triggered Actions, Actions, Element markers, Prepare, 2 more...
• Can Wounded Waters Bleeding claim more than 5 Healing Markers?
  Yes. There is no limit on the number of Healing Markers that Wounded Waters Bleeding can claim

  In the rather unlikely case that you don’t completely heal on Turn 5, place any additional Healing Markers near the others.
  Tags: Element markers, Claim, Seeking a Path Towards Healing (Wounded Waters Bleeding), Wounded Waters Bleeding, 0 more...
• What's the point of using "Elemental Teachings" (Shifting Memory of Ages) on yourself? Don't you have those Elements available anyway?
  If you spend Element Markers via "Elemental Teachings," you get those Elements for the entire turn, not just for a single Action via "Insights Into the World's Nature." But yes, the Power Card is generally more useful targeting other Spirits.
  Tags: Elements, Element markers, Prepare, Shifting Memory of Ages, 2 more...
• Can the Healing Markers claimed by Wounded Waters Bleeding be used for anything other than checking which Healing Markers you have? (e.g., do they grant Elements?)
  No, Healing Markers are just Healing Markers; they don't do anything else associated with Elements or Element Markers.

  Element Markers don't inherently do anything; they're just used to track effects that are associated with Elements in some way. While Starlight Seeks its Form uses them to track permanent Elements, that's only because its Slowly Coalescing Nature special rule explicitly grants that effect. And while Shifting Memory of Ages can spend its prepared Element Markers for various effects, that's only because Insights into the World's Nature, Elemental Teachings, and its Presence Tracks grant those benefits.
  Tags: Prepare, Element markers, Elements, Claim, 4 more...
• How do the elements placed onto Starlight's Presence tracks work?
  Once set, they work exactly like Elements on other Spirits’ Presence Tracks. If Presence is returned onto an Element, leave the Element Marker in place.
  Tags: Elements, Presence track, Element markers, Starlight Seeks Its Form, 2 more...
• For Shifting Memory of Ages' innate which lets them prepare element markers: does damaging pieces count? How about adding Strife? Scenario markers?
  Damaging a piece doesn't change which pieces are in the land, so no. Adding Strife adds a new piece, so yes. Scenario markers aren't generally considered pieces, so no.
  Tags: Strife, Element markers, Prepare, Observe the Ever-Changing World (Shifting Memory of Ages), 1 more...
• When does Observe the Ever-Changing World expire?
  It expires when Time Passes like other effects do. The Element Markers stacked up in in the target land are a reminder of how many more times it can trigger this turn, not an actual change to the board state that persists into future turns.

  All effects in Time Passes expire simultaneously, so if something else causes the pieces to change during Time Passes, Observe the Ever-Changing World does not trigger.
  Tags: Time Passes, Element markers, Observe the Ever-Changing World (Shifting Memory of Ages), Shifting Memory of Ages, 0 more...
• If another Spirit gets hold of "Elemental Teachings" (from Shifting Memory of Ages), can they Prepare Element markers?
  Yes. While Shifting Memory's panel defines what "Prepare" means, other Spirits can Prepare Element markers (storing them on their own panel) if they are able to use a Power that instructs them to. They can spend those Element markers on "Elemental Teachings" or for whatever Shifting Memory's special rules say those markers are for (normally getting extra Elements for a single action via "Insights Into the World's Nature").

  While a strict reading of the text of "Insights Into the World's Nature" would have the other Spirit store its prepared markers on Shifting Memory's panel, don't do that. It just wasn't worth convoluting the wording of that paragraph to cover the extreme edge-case. As of the release of Nature Incarnate, "Prepare" is a general game keyword, so the exact text of the first paragraph of "Insights Into the World's Nature" is just a reminder of how things normally work for Shifting Memory of Ages.

  If an Aspect replaces "Insights Into the World's Nature," the function of Element markers also changes for other Spirits. For example, if Shifting Memory is using the Intensify Aspect, Element markers that other Spirits Prepare can be spent by those Spirits to increase the effects of one of their Spirit Actions, but can't be spent to gain Elements for a single action.
  (Discussion elsewhere)  Tags: Elements, Transferring Power Cards, Element markers, Prepare, 5 more...
• With Shifting Memory of Ages and the Elemental Invocation scenario, are the Element Markers considered to be in the adjacent lands for the purposes of Observe the Ever-Changing World?
  No - they're not in the land, they're on a corner between lands.
  Tags: Pieces, Element markers, Observe the Ever-Changing World (Shifting Memory of Ages), Elemental Invocation, 0 more...