Trade Goods & Commodities

Category: Rules

Trade Goods

Trade goods are a universal currency that players may use to produce units, bribe other factions, or make deals. A player may spend a trade good as either one resource or one influence. For example, a player may use trade goods as resources to build a ship or as influence to resolve the secondary ability of Leadership. There is no limit to the number of trade goods a player can accumulate.

Commodities

Commodities represent a sought after product produced by the player's faction. The maximum number of commodities each faction can have is represented by the number printed on their faction sheet. In the case of the example image, the number is 3, though this ranges from 2-4 depending on the faction played, excluding a single exception of 6.

Commodities are generally obtained from using the primary or secondary abilities of the "Trade" strategy card.

A player is said to be "Refreshed" when their commodities are replenished to their maximum. The act of using the Trade strategy card's primary ability to chose a player to replenish commodities without spending a command counter is termed "Refreshing."

Commodities have no inherent value but become trade goods when exchanged with other players.

If a game effect instructs a player to convert a number of their own commodities to trade goods, those trade goods are not treated as being gained for the purpose of triggering other abilities.

A player cannot spend commodities unless otherwise specified.

List of factions by commodity number

6 Commodities

• The Emirates of Hacan

4 Commodities

• The Embers of Muaat
• The Empyrean
• The Federation of Sol
• The Ghosts of Creuss
• The Nomad
• The Universities of Jol-Nar
• The Xxcha Kingdom

3 Commodities

• The Arborec
• The Argent Flight
• The Clan of Saar
• The Mahact Gene Sorcerers
• The Naalu Collective
• The Naaz-Rokha Alliance
• The Nekro Virus
• Sardakk N'orr
• The Winnu
• The Yssaril Tribes

2 Commodities

• The Barony of Letnev
• The Council Keleres
• The L1Z1X Mindnet
• The Mentak Coalition
• The Titans of Ul
• The Vuil'Raith Cabal
• The Yin Brotherhood

FAQ

Q: Can trade goods be used as votes during the agenda phase?

A: No. The few exceptions to this include the Action Card Bribery and the Emirates of Hacan Commander ability

Q: Can trade goods be used as resources or influence for scoring objetives that specify the use of trade goods in combination of resources and influence?

A: There is no rule in the manual against using trade goods to pay for anything (in combination or alone) when it comes to resources or influence, except for voting during the agenda phase as already mentioned.

Q: At the start of the game, do players begin with the commodities listed on their faction sheet?

A: No