A "order of play" question/situation, this time involving Keeper of the Forbidden Wilds, and specifically, these two growth options:
- Growth Option (2): Add Presence (3 Range) to Land with Wilds or your Presence/Gain 1 Energy
- Growth Option (3): Pay 3 energy/Gain Power Card/Add Presence (3 Range) to Land Without Blight
In all, that's five different "things" going on during growth:
- (2)(a) adding presence at 3 range to a land w/ wilds or Keeper's Presence;
- (2)(b) gaining 1 energy;
- (3)(a) paying 3 energy;
- (3)(b) gaining a power card;
- (3)(c) adding presence (3 range) to a land without blight.
If you choose these two growth options, can you split up/reorder all 5 "things" in whatever order you like, or do all of the "Option 2"s have to take place together, and likewise with the "Option 3"s? For example, could Keeper:
- Gain a power card (3B)
- Add Presence (3 range to a land without blight) (3C)
- Add Presence to land w/wilds or Keeper's Presence; (2A)
- Gain 1 energy (2B); then
- Pay 3 energy (3A)?
Or how about within the Options themselves -- can you re-order the "things" within each Growth Option? For example, on Keeper's board, the "Cost 3" looks like it's attached to the Gain Power Card part; could Keeper first place the Presence, *then* pay the cost/get the power card?
I'm pretty sure you need to pay the 3 Energy before you do anything else from that box. I'm not sure why it matters, though: it's not like placing Presence would give you energy to help pay that cost. Other than that, I'm not sure.
Choices ("pick two") are distinct from individual actions ("Add a Presence at Range 3"). You can make your choices in any order (when you have more than one), and within each choice you may perform the actions in any order, but you perform all actions in one choice before making another.
https://querki.net/u/darker/spirit-island-faq/#!.bu6od05
https://querki.net/u/darker/spirit-island-faq/#!.bu6od06
When a choice has a cost, it must be paid in order to make that choice, before performing any actions therein.
What's handy about Keeper's chocies is you can start the turn with two Energy, use the Growth option that gives you another one, and then spend all three on the last Growth option - get out two Presence a turn every turn (except the first, obviously) as long as you ended the previous turn with at least two Energy! :D I think this might be part of the reason why Keeper is my other favourite spirit, because you can do All of the Things, roar smash stomp git orf moi laaaand!
I am the Wordweaver...
Basically, I like writing stuff ;)
Typically, I try to have Keeper end the turn with 2 Energy in hand, to take Ameena’s suggestion below. What I was hoping to have Keeper do is *first* use the 3 Range presence option to spread to a land without blight, second, add a second presence there, then gain the energy, then pay the three energy to gain the power card.
As I understand it from the comments above, though, I have to first add the presence to someplace I already have presence (or wilds), and gain 1 energy (Growth Option #3). Only then would I have enough energy for Growth Option #4.
What if (for some reason) it’s super-important for me to instantly plonk down a sacred site somewhere far away? Could I do Growth Option #4 first, forgo drawing the power card (since I don’t have the energy to pay for it) and just put down a Presence at 3 Range, then use Growth Option #3 to add a Presence and gain 1 Energy?
Nope. The cost is associated with the entire choice-group, not just the "Gain a Power Card" action; you must pay it up-front before taking any action in that choice.