The basic mechanics of the game. Each card's value is its atomic number — the highest atomic number wins the hand. No special powers are in play.

Scientist, Laboratory, Anti-Scientist, and Anti-Laboratory cards are added. Scientists and Labs are the highest cards in the deck (atomic numbers 96–118), denoted by a scientist or lab icon in the lower right corner.

• ANTI-SCIENTIST cards beat any Scientist card. When an Anti-Scientist beats a Scientist, it adopts the Scientist's atomic number as its value.
• ANTI-LAB cards beat any Laboratory card.
• If two Anti-Scientist/Lab cards are played against a Scientist/Lab in the same hand, the Anti card with the highest atomic number wins.
• Other players may beat an Anti-Scientist/Lab card by playing a card with a higher atomic number than the Scientist/Lab it is trumping.
• If an Anti-Scientist/Lab is played and no Scientist/Lab is in the hand, its value remains its own atomic number.
• Carbide Bits do not work on Anti-Scientist/Lab cards that have trumped a Scientist/Lab card.

Laser cards vaporize an unplayed card in a player's hand.

• When you play a Laser card, choose an opponent to vaporize.
• Pick one of that player's unplayed cards — they reveal it to the table, then discard it.
• The Laser card then acts as any other card; its value is its atomic number.
• If a card immune to Lasers is selected, it is not vaporized — the Laser is wasted and the player may not select another card.

Radioactive cards and Radiation Stopper cards are added. Radioactive cards have a red or pink ring around the nucleus of the element.

• RADIOACTIVE cards are identified by a red or pink ring around their nucleus.
• RADIATION STOPPERS beat all radioactive cards. There are 4 Radiation Stopper cards in the deck.
• If a Radiation Stopper beats a radioactive card with a higher atomic number, it assumes that card's atomic number as its value.
• If the radioactive card is lower, the Radiation Stopper keeps its own atomic number.
• If a Magnet and a Radiation Stopper are played in the same hand, the Magnet's value becomes its atomic number plus the second highest card's atomic number (aside from itself). This compound is not considered radioactive. The Radiation Stopper takes on the higher of the highest radioactive card's atomic number or its own.

Alloy cards can be combined with another alloy to form a compound. The compound's value becomes the sum of the two alloys' atomic numbers. More than two alloys can be combined — the atomic number continues to be the sum of all atomic numbers. The player who played the last card in the alloy controls the alloy.

• 2-player rule: Alloys do not function.
• When playing a card with two special powers, announce which power the card will use when playing it. If one is an alloy, other players may still use it as an alloy.

Magnets form a compound with the second highest card played in the hand (aside from itself) and add that card's atomic number to their own.

• Magnets cannot connect with Noble Gases.
• If two Magnets are played in a hand they cancel each other out and revert to their own atomic numbers. If three are played, the first two cancel and the last one operates as a magnet.
• If a Magnet is played against only one other card in a hand, its powers do not work.
• 2-player rule: Magnets automatically beat any Transition Metal.

Carbide Bits cut the highest card's atomic number in half (at the end of the round), including compounds like alloys and magnets. If the Carbide Bit card itself has the highest atomic number, it cuts itself in half.

• If two Carbide Bits are played in the same hand, the first cuts the highest atomic number in half, and the second cuts the second highest card's number in half.
• Carbide Bits do not work on Anti-Scientist/Lab cards that have trumped a Scientist/Lab.
• SILVER (#47) is immune to Magnets and Carbide Bits.

The final level — all special powers are in play, including unique special power cards marked with a book icon. Look up a card's unique power before playing so you can use it to your advantage!

Playing the Last Round: In Level 7, everyone plays their cards simultaneously. Players look at their cards, place them face-down from left to right in order of which card they will play first, then flip them over at the same time.

• HYDROGEN (#1) — After Hydrogen is played, the hand continues until someone wins. Before the next hand starts, all players pass their unplayed cards to the person on their left. (not available in Trainer)
• CARBON (#6) — Can be added to any alloy card. Their atomic number sum is then multiplied by 3. In 2-player, beats any Alloy card.
• NITROGEN (#7) — Subtracts 77 from each of the other cards' atomic numbers.
• OXYGEN (#8) — Added to the second highest card played in the hand (not Noble Gases). The player who plays Oxygen controls this compound. No effect in 2-player.
• CHLORINE (#17) — After playing, all unplayed cards from each player are gathered, shuffled, and re-dealt to all players. (not available in Trainer)
• POTASSIUM (#19) — Add to any Scientist card and combine the two atomic numbers.
• COPPER (#29) — Immune to Lasers.
• ZINC (#30) — Adds +5 to each of your unplayed cards for the rest of the round (not including Zinc itself). If cards are passed (via Hydrogen, Chlorine, or Mercury), the +5 attribute stays with the Zinc player. (not available in Trainer)
• GERMANIUM (#32) — After playing, all players put their unplayed cards face-down and cannot look at them for the rest of the round. Cards must be played face-down into the middle, then flipped over. (not available in Trainer)
• STRONTIUM (#38) — Pick an unplayed card from each player and make them show it to all other players. (not available in Trainer)
• SILVER (#47) — Immune to Magnets and Carbide Bits.
• LANTHANUM (#57) — When played, all players must play the rest of the hand with their remaining cards facing up on the table in front of them.
• PRASEODYMIUM (#59) — Combine with any Alloy card. In 2-player, beats any Alloy card.
• GOLD (#79) — Immune to Lasers, Magnets, and Carbide Bits.
• MERCURY (#80) — After Mercury is played, the player may trade two unplayed cards with any other player and gets to pick from their hand. Trading is optional, but if done must be exactly two cards.
• THALLIUM (#81) — Choose a player and look at three of their unplayed cards. The other players cannot see the cards. (not available in Trainer)
• ASTATINE (#85) & FRANCIUM (#87) — Must be played first in a round or they become worthless (value of zero) and cannot be combined with any other card.
• NOBLE GASES (#2, 10, 18, 36, 54, 86, 118) — Cannot be combined into a compound using Magnets or any other special power card.

Ties

• The player with the fewest cards wins — e.g. Lutetium (71) beats a Manganese (25) + Palladium (46) alloy.
• If tied with the same number of cards, the card that does not use a special power wins — e.g. Polonium (84) −77 vs Nitrogen (7): Polonium wins as Nitrogen is using its special power.
• If both cards are using a special power and are equal, the card whose name is closest to the letter A alphabetically wins — e.g. Gold (using Zinc +5) vs Nitrogen: Gold wins as G comes before N.

Cards with Two Special Powers

When playing a card with two special powers, a player must announce which power the card will use at the time of playing the card. If one of the special cards is an alloy, other players may still use it as an alloy.

Scientist and Lab Cards

• Anti-Scientist/Lab cards trump any Scientist/Lab cards played in a hand.
• If two Anti-Scientist/Lab cards are played in the same hand against a Scientist/Lab, the Anti card with the highest atomic number wins.
• When an Anti-Scientist/Lab card is played, other players may beat the Anti-Scientist/Lab card by playing a card with a higher atomic number than the Scientist/Lab it is trumping.
• If an Anti-Scientist/Lab card is played and no Scientist/Lab is played in the hand, its value remains its atomic number.
• Carbide Bits do not work on Anti-Scientist/Lab cards that have trumped a Scientist/Lab card.

Two Carbides Played in the Same Hand

If two Carbide Bits are played in the same hand, the first one cuts the highest atomic number in half, and the second cuts the second highest card's number in half. The numbers are cut in half once all cards have been played.

Magnets and Anti-Radiation Cards

If a Magnet and Anti-Radiation card are played in the same hand, the Magnet card's atomic number becomes its atomic number plus the second highest card's atomic number aside from itself. This compound is not considered radioactive. The Anti-Radiation card takes on the higher number of the atomic number of the highest radioactive card or its own atomic number.

Magnets in Multiplayer Games with Only Two Cards

If a player plays a Magnet card in a two-card hand during a multiplayer game, the Magnet functions as it would in a 2-person game — it beats any Transition Metal.

Laser Immunity

If a card immune to lasers is selected to be vaporized by a player who plays a laser card, that card is not vaporized and remains in the hand. The laser is thus wasted and the laser-playing player may not select another card to vaporize.

2-Player Special Rules

• Alloys do not function
• Magnets automatically beat any Transition Metal
• Carbon & Praseodymium beat any Alloy card
• Oxygen has no special powers