At the start of each round, you may acquire new upgrade cards for your robot by spending Energy from your Energy Track. During the game, you will have the opportunity to gain more Energy and accumulate it on your Energy Track. Upgrades change the way your robot functions, providing your robot with advantages, and you may use them at different times during the Programming and Activation Phases.

There are two basic types of upgrades: permanent and temporary. Permanent upgrade cards are yellow and temporary upgrade cards are red. A permanent upgrade’s effects will (usually) last for the remainder of the game. Temporary upgrades may be used only once and are discarded after you activate them. During this phase, you may perform any or all of the following actions in any order you choose:

• Draw a New Upgrade

You may spend 1 Energy to draw 1 new upgrade card. You may only draw 1 new upgrade during each Upgrade Phase. There is no limit to the number of uninstalled upgrades you may have in your collection.

• Install 1 Upgrade

You may install 1 upgrade from your collection of uninstalled upgrades. You may only install 1 upgrade during each Upgrade Phase, including the very first round of the game.

• Uninstall Upgrades

Uninstall any number of upgrades and discard them to the upgrade discard pile.

To install an upgrade, look at the number in the top left corner of the card. This is the cost in Energy you must pay to install that card. Adjust your Energy Tracking Cube on your player mat’s Energy Track to your new Energy total after the installation. When you install a permanent upgrade, place it face up in the Installed Upgrades area on your player mat. When you install a temporary upgrade, place it face up next to your player mat.

1. Energy Cost

2. Upgrade Type

3. Effect

Note: Your robot can have a maximum of 3 permanent upgrades and 3 temporary upgrades at a time. If you already have 3 of one type, you may discard an upgrade of that type to make room for a new one.

Once all players are done drawing and installing upgrades, proceed to the Programming Phase. Note that a player is never required to spend their Energy to draw or install upgrades. You might want to save up for an expensive and powerful upgrade!