SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
✅ 21 Questions Answered
📘 Available Rulebooks:
- Core Rulebook 2024-09-17
Answered Questions
Answers are grounded in the game's rulebooks and written to clarify how the rules work during play.
Mode: inferred
If the card deck runs out and must be reshuffled, do played end-of-game scoring cards and completed missions remain out of the deck, or are only discarded cards reshuffled?
Played end-of-game scoring cards and completed missions remain out of the deck; only discarded cards are reshuffled.
This is supported by the following:
- When you play an end-of-game scoring card, you "keep it in front of you for the rest of the game" (page 15).
- When you complete a mission (conditional or triggerable), you "keep all completed missions face down in front of you for the rest of the game" (page 15).
- Only cards placed in the discard pile are available to be reshuffled: "After resolving the effect, place the card face up in a discard pile near the main deck, unless it is one of the types of cards described below" (referring to missions and end-of-game scoring cards, which are kept in front of you) (page 15).
- When refilling the card row: "If the deck is ever empty, shuffle the discard pile to make a new deck" (page 19).
Summary
- End-of-game scoring cards and completed missions are kept in front of you and are not placed in the discard pile.
- Only the discard pile is reshuffled to form a new deck when the deck runs out.
Source: page 15, page 19
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 15, 18, 19, 21, 7)
Mode: inferred
If a player discovers both alien species in a single turn (for example, by completing the third discovery space for both via a milestone), in what order are the species revealed and rewards given?
If a player discovers both alien species in a single turn (for example, by completing the third discovery space for both via a milestone), the order in which the species are revealed and rewards are given is as follows:
- Milestones are resolved between turns, after the current player has finished playing free actions (page 18).
- If multiple players have reached milestones, they resolve them in order, starting with the player whose turn has just ended, and proceeding clockwise. The neutral milestone belongs to nonplayers, and it is always resolved last (page 18).
- If a species is discovered during your turn, resolve the discovery after you finish your turn. (If there are any milestones, resolve them before resolving the discovery.) (page 20).
Summary
- First, resolve any milestones triggered (including neutral milestones that may fill discovery spaces).
- If both species are discovered as a result of these milestones, resolve the discoveries after all milestones are resolved.
- The rulebook does not specify a required order for revealing the two species if both are discovered simultaneously. However, since both are discovered "after you finish your turn" and after milestones, you may choose the order in which to reveal and resolve the discoveries.
- For each species:
- Flip the species board over to reveal which species has been discovered.
- Read the rule sheet for that species.
- Follow the setup rules for the revealed alien species.
- The players that marked the three discovery spaces are rewarded at this time.
Source: page 18 (Milestones), page 20 (Discovery process and timing). The rulebook does not specify a strict order if both are discovered at once, so either order is permissible as long as both are resolved after milestones.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 18, 20, 26, 28, 3)
Mode: inferred
When resolving gold scoring tiles at the end of the game, if a player qualifies for more sets than marker spaces available on the tile, are excess sets wasted, or do they score any additional points?
Excess sets are wasted; players only score points for the marker space they claimed on the gold scoring tile.
Explanation
- According to page 18, when you reach a gold milestone, you "choose one of the gold scoring tiles and mark it." Each tile "has multiple spaces worth a varying amount of points. The first player to choose that tile places a marker on the highest value. The one who chooses it second gets the second-highest value, and so on."
- On page 21, it states: "Each gold scoring tile will reward you for sets of something. For each set you make, score the number of points shown by your marker."
- This means that at the end of the game, you count how many sets you have, and for each set, you score the number of points indicated by your marker on that tile. There is no mention of scoring additional points for sets beyond what your marker allows.
Summary
You score the number of points shown by your marker for each set you make, regardless of how many sets you have. If you have more sets than marker spaces, the excess sets do not score any additional points.
Source: page 18 and page 21.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 18, 21, 28, 3, 5)
Mode: inferred
If all moons at a planet are occupied, and a player has the tech to land on moons, can they still land on the planet itself, or must they always choose a moon if possible?
I don't know based on the rulebook. The rulebook states on page 11 that "some planets have one or more moons. You cannot land on these unless some effect or tech allows you to do so. When you land on a moon, gain the depicted rewards. Each moon has space for only 1 lander." It also says, "From now on you can land on a planet's moon instead of the planet itself. The cost is the same as landing on the planet" (page 17, Probe Techs).
However, the rulebook does not specify whether a player with the tech to land on moons must always choose a moon if one is available, or if they may choose to land on the planet instead. It also does not clarify what happens if all moons are occupied—whether the player may then land on the planet, or if they are prevented from landing entirely.
To answer this question definitively, the rulebook would need to specify the priority or choice between landing on moons versus the planet when both are options, and what happens when all moon spaces are full.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 11, 17, 25, 9)
Mode: inferred
Are players allowed to use the resource exchange free action multiple times per turn, and can exchanges be chained (such as exchanging two cards for a credit, then two credits for an energy)?
Yes, players are allowed to use the resource exchange free action multiple times per turn, and exchanges can be chained.
This is supported by the following points from the rulebook:
- On page 18, under "Resource Exchange," it states:
"During your turn, as a free action, you can exchange 2 cards, 2 credits, or 2 energy for 1 card, 1 credit, or 1 energy." - There is no restriction mentioned on the number of times this free action can be performed per turn.
- The rulebook also clarifies (on page 7, under "FREE ACTIONS*):
"Free actions can be performed at any time during your turn – before, after, or even during your main action."
Therefore:
- You may perform the resource exchange free action as many times as you wish during your turn, as long as you have the resources to do so.
- You may chain exchanges, such as exchanging two cards for a credit, then using two credits for an energy, within the same turn.
Source: page 18 (Resource Exchange), page 7 (Free Actions)
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 18, 19, 28, 7, 9)
Mode: inferred
If a player wants to analyze data but their computer is full, can they place additional data in the lower spaces of computer techs before analyzing, or are extra data lost?
Answer
A player cannot place additional data in the lower spaces of computer techs if the upper spaces are not already full. According to the rules:
-
"You can place data in the lower space only if the upper space is already full."
(Page 17, Computer Techs section) -
"You don't have to fill the lower spaces before you can analyze data – the upper spaces are the only ones that have to be filled."
(Page 17, Computer Techs section) -
"Data is placed from left to right in the upper spaces. Data in the lower spaces do not need to be filled in from left to right; they can be filled in at any point provided that the space above has been covered."
(Page 17, Computer Techs section) -
"Your data pool can never hold more than 6 data at a time. If you would ever gain data when your data pool is full, you must discard the excess."
(Page 14, Data Capacity section) -
"Placing data in your computer is a free action. You can perform free actions whenever you want during your turn, but you can't place data when it is not your turn."
(Page 14, Placing Data section)
How this applies
- If your computer is full (all upper spaces are filled), you cannot place more data in the upper spaces.
- You may place data in the lower spaces of computer techs as long as the upper space above each lower space is already filled.
- If you have data in your data pool and there are eligible lower spaces (with their upper space filled), you can place data there as a free action before analyzing.
- If there are no eligible lower spaces (because their upper spaces are not filled), and your computer is full, you cannot place additional data. Any data you would gain beyond your data pool limit is lost (discarded).
Summary
- You can only place data in lower spaces of computer techs if the upper space above is already filled.
- If your computer is full and there are no eligible lower spaces, you cannot place additional data; any excess data is lost.
- This is supported by the rules on pages 14 and 17.
Source:
Page 14 (Placing Data, Data Capacity), Page 17 (Computer Techs)
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 14, 16, 17, 26, 28)
Mode: inferred
When a probe is converted into an orbiter or lander, does it immediately stop counting against the player's probe limit, or does the limit update only at the end of the main action?
When a probe is converted into an orbiter or lander, it immediately stops counting against the player's probe limit as soon as it is placed on the planetary board.
This is supported by the following rule:
-
On page 10, under ORBIT A PLANET:
"Once your figure is on the planetary board, it no longer counts against your limit of 'probes in space'." -
On page 8, under LAUNCH A PROBE:
"By default, each player is limited to having one probe in space. If you are at your probe limit, you cannot take the Launch action. ('In space' is anywhere in the rings of the solar system board. By contrast, figures on the planetary board are not 'probes in space.')"
Therefore, as soon as the probe is removed from the solar system board and placed on the planetary board (as an orbiter or lander), it no longer counts toward the probe limit.
Source:
Page 10 (ORBIT A PLANET), Page 8 (LAUNCH A PROBE)
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 10, 11, 17, 28, 8)
Mode: inferred
During the end-of-round step, if a player passes and discards down to four cards but has conditional or triggerable missions in hand, can they complete or trigger these before discarding?
Yes, a player can complete or trigger conditional or triggerable missions before discarding down to four cards during the end-of-round step, as long as they do so as a free action on the turn in which they pass.
Explanation
- According to page 19, "Passing is a main action – which means you can do free actions on the turn in which you pass. Then resolve these steps in order, without playing any more free actions: 1. Discard down to 4 cards if you have more than 4."
- This means that after you declare you are passing (your main action), you may still perform any free actions, including completing or triggering missions, before you proceed to the discard step.
- On page 15, it is stated that "At any time during your turn, if the condition is met, you can complete the mission as a free action..." and "It is possible to trigger some missions even outside of your turn."
- However, once you begin the end-of-round steps (starting with discarding down to four cards), you may not perform any more free actions.
Summary
A player may complete or trigger conditional or triggerable missions as free actions after passing but before discarding down to four cards. Once the discard step begins, no further free actions are allowed.
Source: page 19 (Passing and end-of-round steps), page 15 (Missions and free actions)
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 15, 18, 19, 26, 7)
Mode: inferred
If a sector is completed and both the winner and the second-place player have multiple markers in the data slot, does the second-place player always keep the leftmost marker, or can they choose which marker remains?
The second-place player always keeps the leftmost marker in the data slot when a sector is reset after being completed.
This is supported by the following rule:
- "The second-place player (if there is one) leaves a marker on the first space of the sector."
(Page 13, "Resetting the Sector")
Additionally, the rules reminder states:
- "The player with the second most markers in a closed sector keeps one marker in the data slot when it is refreshed."
(Page 28, "RULES REMINDERS")
The use of "the first space" and "keeps one marker" (not "any marker") indicates that it is specifically the leftmost marker that remains, not a marker of their choice.
Source:
Page 13, "Resetting the Sector"
Page 28, "RULES REMINDERS"
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 13, 18, 21, 28, 6)
Mode: inferred
When a player tucks a card for income and immediately gains the resource, is this considered part of the free action or a separate event for the purposes of other triggered effects?
When a player tucks a card for income, they "also gain that resource immediately" (page 28, Rules Reminders). The rulebook does not explicitly define whether this immediate gain is part of the free action or a separate event for the purposes of other triggered effects.
However, the context on page 28 presents the immediate gain as a direct consequence of the tucking action:
- "When you tuck a card for income, you also gain that resource immediately."
There is no mention of this being a separate event or triggering additional effects beyond the resource gain itself. The rulebook does not provide any rules or examples of triggered effects that would distinguish between the tucking and the resource gain as separate events.
Summary
Based on the rulebook, tucking a card for income and immediately gaining the resource are treated as a single, unified action. There is no indication that the resource gain is a separate event for the purposes of other triggered effects.
Source: page 28, Rules Reminders
If you need to know how this interacts with specific triggered effects, the rulebook would need to define such effects or provide examples, which it does not.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 15, 18, 19, 28, 7)
Mode: inferred
If a player with 10 publicity would gain more publicity due to multiple simultaneous effects, do they only ignore the excess or do they ignore all publicity from that event?
If you have 10 publicity, you ignore any effects that give you more. This means you ignore all publicity from that event, not just the excess over 10.
This is supported by the rule on page 28:
- "If you have 10 publicity, ignore any effects that give you more."
This indicates that when you are at the publicity cap, any effect that would give you publicity is ignored entirely, regardless of the amount.
Source: page 28.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 16, 18, 23, 28, 9)
Mode: inferred
Are overflow spaces for alien life traces considered distinct from the three discovery spaces for purposes of species discovery or only for scoring and card effects?
Answer
Overflow spaces for alien life traces are distinct from the three discovery spaces for the purposes of species discovery. The rulebook specifies:
- "Below each alien board, there are three discovery spaces representing traces of alien life that must be filled to discover the species."
- "Once all three discovery spaces are filled by markers (in a 2- or 3-player game, these may be nonplayer markers) the corresponding alien species is discovered."
- "The area below the 3 discovery spaces is for extra alien traces. Sometimes you get to mark a trace, but all of the spaces for that color have already been taken. If that happens, you can always place your marker in one of the species' overflow spaces and score 3 points."
- "If a card refers to a trace marked for an alien species, all markers in the overflow space count, as do any markers on the discovery spaces. (The markers on the actual alien species board count, too, of course.)"
From this, it is clear that:
- Only the three discovery spaces are relevant for species discovery—once these are filled, the species is discovered.
- Overflow spaces are for extra traces and are used for scoring (3 points per marker) and for card effects that refer to traces marked for an alien species.
- Overflow spaces do not contribute to the discovery of the species; they are only used when the discovery spaces are already full.
Source: page 20
Summary
Overflow spaces are not used for species discovery; they are only for scoring and card effects. Only the three discovery spaces count for discovering an alien species.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 11, 20, 26, 28, 3)
Mode: inferred
If a player is at their probe limit but has a card or tech that allows launching a probe 'ignoring probe limits,' does this effect persist beyond that specific launch action or only for that one probe?
The effect of ignoring probe limits applies only for that specific launch action and does not persist beyond it.
This is supported by the FAQ on page 28:
- "If a card gives you a Launch action and specifically says you can ignore limits on probes in space, then you ignore your limits, but only for that action. (Later launches must respect the limit.)"
So, you may exceed your probe limit for that launch, but any subsequent launches must again respect the normal probe limit.
Source: page 28, FAQ section.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 10, 16, 17, 28, 8)
Mode: inferred
When resolving the Scan action, if all data tokens in a sector are already replaced by markers, what happens if a player would mark another signal in that sector?
If all data tokens in a sector's data slot have already been replaced by markers, and a player would mark another signal in that sector (for example, due to a Scan action or card effect), the following applies:
- The player may still place their marker in the sector, even though there are no data tokens left to take.
- The player does not gain a data token for this marker, since there are no data tokens remaining.
- Placing this marker still counts toward winning the sector when it is completed.
This is supported by the following rule:
Sometimes you might have the opportunity to place more markers than a sector can hold. This is okay. You don't get data for the excess markers, but you can use them to help you win the sector once it's completed.
EXAMPLE: Everyone is tied with 2 markers, but orange wins the sector because orange marked it last. (Orange got no data for the last marker, but it was worth it to win the sector.)
(Page 13)
Summary:
If all data tokens are gone, you may still place a marker, but you do not gain data for it. The marker still counts for sector control.
Source: page 13.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 12, 13, 14, 17, 28)
Mode: inferred
If a player has a triggerable mission that could be triggered by an event outside their turn (such as being pushed onto a planet by solar system rotation), can they claim the mission reward immediately or must they wait until their next turn?
A player cannot claim the mission reward immediately if the triggerable mission is triggered by an event outside their turn. According to the rules on page 15:
- "Note: It is possible to trigger some missions even outside of your turn."
- However, page 28 states: "Players cannot play free actions between turns, nor on another player's turn."
Claiming a mission reward (covering a circle with a marker and gaining the bonus) is a free action. Therefore, even if the mission is triggered outside your turn, you must wait until your next turn to claim the reward.
Source:
Page 15 (Triggerable Missions), Page 28 (Rules Reminders: "Players cannot play free actions between turns, nor on another player's turn.")
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 10, 15, 18, 28, 9)
Mode: inferred
Can a player discard a card for its free action and then immediately tuck it for income during the same turn, or is a card removed from play after using its free action?
A player cannot discard a card for its free action and then immediately tuck it for income during the same turn. According to the rulebook:
- "When a card is used, it is used for only one of its benefits. For example, if you play its effect as your main action, you cannot discard it for its free action." (page 7)
- Discarding a card for its free action means the card is no longer available to be tucked for income, as it is removed from your hand and placed in the discard pile.
Therefore, once a card is discarded for its free action, it is removed from play and cannot be tucked for income.
Source: page 7
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 14, 15, 19, 28, 7)
Mode: inferred
If a player’s data pool is full when they would gain data from multiple sources at once (such as scanning and playing a card), are all excess data lost, or can the player choose which sources are lost and which are kept?
If a player's data pool is full when they would gain data from multiple sources at once, all excess data are lost. The rulebook states:
- "Your data pool can never hold more than 6 data at a time. If you would ever gain data when your data pool is full, you must discard the excess." (page 14)
- "If your data pool is full, discard any excess data tokens you gain." (page 28)
The rulebook does not specify any way to choose which sources are lost or kept; it simply states that any data gained in excess of the limit must be discarded. Therefore, regardless of the source, any data above the 6-token limit is lost.
Source: page 14, page 28.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 14, 17, 28, 6, 7)
Mode: inferred
When landing on Mars, if both special landing spaces are still available, can two players take them in the same round, and do both get the first-landing bonuses?
Answer
Yes, if both special landing spaces on Mars are still available, two players can take them in the same round, and both will receive the first-landing bonuses.
Rulebook Support
-
On page 11, it states:
"The first player to land on a planet also receives some data. To remind everyone that later landers will not gain this data, cover the space with your figure. (Mars is unique as it has two of these spaces instead of just one. If you're one of the first two to land on Mars, choose one of the spaces to cover.)"
-
This means:
- Mars has two special first-landing spaces.
- The first two players to land on Mars each cover one of these spaces.
- Each of these spaces grants the first-landing bonus (including data).
- There is no rule preventing two players from landing on Mars in the same round and each claiming one of the first-landing spaces, as long as both are available when they land.
Summary
Both players can take the special landing spaces on Mars in the same round if they are available, and both receive the first-landing bonuses.
Source: page 11
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 11, 17, 25, 28, 8)
Mode: inferred
If a probe is pushed by solar system rotation into a space with multiple bonuses (for example, a comet and a publicity icon), does the player receive all applicable bonuses, and if so, in what order?
If a probe is pushed by solar system rotation into a space with multiple bonuses (such as a comet and a publicity icon), the player receives all applicable bonuses.
- On page 9, it states: "If you move into a space with a publicity icon, gain 1 publicity. (There is no publicity for visiting Earth.)"
- The FAQ on page 28 clarifies: "Will I get [publicity] if the solar system pushes my probe onto a space with a comet? Yes. Your probes will always give you [publicity] when they visit a space object, even if it isn't your turn."
The rulebook does not specify a required order for resolving multiple bonuses when entering a space. Therefore, you receive all bonuses, and the order is not specified or restricted.
Source: pages 9 and 28.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 10, 17, 28, 8, 9)
Mode: inferred
When resolving milestones, if a player passes multiple milestones in one turn (for example, passing both a gold and a neutral milestone), what is the precise order in which they are resolved?
When resolving milestones, if a player passes multiple milestones in one turn, the order is as follows:
- Milestones are resolved between turns, after the current player has finished playing free actions.
- If multiple players have reached milestones, they resolve them in order, starting with the player whose turn has just ended, and proceeding clockwise.
- The neutral milestone belongs to nonplayers, and it is always resolved last.
This means:
- If a player passes both a gold and a neutral milestone in the same turn, the gold milestone is resolved first, followed by the neutral milestone.
Source: Page 18
"Milestones are resolved between turns. If multiple players have reached milestones, they resolve them in order, starting with the player whose turn has just ended, and proceeding clockwise. ... The neutral milestone belongs to nonplayers, and it is always resolved last."
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 18, 19, 21, 23, 28)
Mode: inferred
If two players tie for most markers in a sector, but their last markers were placed simultaneously due to a card effect or special ability, how is the winner determined?
I don't know based on the rulebook.
The rulebook on page 13 states that if there is a tie for most markers in a sector, the tie is broken in favor of the player whose marker was placed later. However, it does not address what happens if two players place their last markers simultaneously due to a card effect or special ability. There are no rules provided for simultaneous placement or how to resolve ties in that specific situation.
To answer this question, the rulebook would need to specify a procedure for resolving ties when marker placement is simultaneous.
Source: Core Rulebook (pp. 13, 18, 21, 28, 7)