FAQ
These are answers to common questions from players before ExileCon 2026. Where an answer comes from a player’s memory rather than the printed rules or GGG staff, it says so.
Getting started
Where do I get my cards? In your swag bag at badge pickup. The starter pack includes the rules leaflet and a Quick Reference card.
Are all starter packs the same? No. See The starter pack.
Do I need to understand everything before I start? No. Each side of a fight is one counting check (how to win). Crafting, maps and the league add depth later. Experienced players at the venue are generally happy to explain.
Fighting
How much damage does my weapon do? Nothing has an attack value. There’s no hidden value. Every symbol on your weapon counts toward Attack. A card with two Swords gives two symbols of Attack. Those symbols can match a monster’s specific Defence symbols or count toward its number.
The monster shows Sword + Fire + 2. Do I need 2 or 4 symbols? Four: a Sword, a Fire and two more of anything. The number is in addition to the specific symbols (worked examples).
Can I split an amulet between Attack and Defence? No. All of its symbols go to one side. Your two rings can go to different sides, though.
Can I use a shield with a two-handed weapon? No.
Can I die or lose my cards? No. If you lose a fight you’re assumed to have fled, and your cards only take Damage when you win. The exception is maps: losing in a map wastes the map, but not your gear.
Can I fight Act 2 monsters before beating Act 1? Yes. There’s no restriction on which monster you challenge or which order you do quests in. If your gear is good enough, go for it.
Can I fight the same staff member again and again? No. Rotate between a few monsters instead.
How do I find monsters of the right level? Their shirts now show their act. Monsters are spread around the venue, so on day 1 the queues give the early ones away.
Crafting and progression
Where do I craft? At the Crafting Benches on the upper levels. There are three in 2026. Players report two next to the Map Device on the 4th floor.
How many crafts can one item take? Only one Quality or one Rune per item.
Where do I hand in quests? At a Crafting Bench.
Social
Can I play and still see the panels? Yes. Play between panels. Just don’t leave your cards lying around: a player’s deck was stolen at a previous ExileCon. In that case GGG gave them a fresh starter pack.
Can I trade cards with other players? The printed rules don’t mention trading. In practice, players trade duplicates, pool cards in groups and hand their decks to friends.
Can I get my cards signed? Yes, and people do. Talking to the developers you fight is part of the experience.
How long does it take to reach a pinnacle boss? In 2023 one player reported about 7 hours of play, and said it got easier on day 2. There’s no figure for 2026 yet.
Open questions
Neither the printed rules nor anything said so far settles these. If you learn the answer, update the relevant page.
- Block vs Life. One player recalls that Sword and Block are generic (“no element”) while Life acts like an element. What that means in practice isn’t clear: the leaflet says every specific symbol must be matched by the same symbol.
- Other symbols. 2023 shirts showed a purple skull (probably Chaos). Is it on any 2026 cards?
- Currency, Quality and Runes. What each Currency item does, and what Quality and Runes add to an item.
- Rematch rules. How long before you can fight the same staff member again?
- Logbooks and Expedition Island. How you get Logbooks and what Expedition Island gives.
- Map Device location. The leaflet says main floor, a player says 4th floor.
- Exceptional bases. Are there “exceptional” item base cards?
- Extra packs. Can someone who accidentally received two starter packs use both? Asked, not answered.