Board Game Arena

I don't have a physical copy of the game (yet), and I've tried to find an answer in the rules I downloaded, but can't seem to find it. So, I thought I would bring the question to the masses....

Mostly I'm playing in Arena and occasionally I or my opponents can cool down more than the allowed 1 or 3 heats depending on gear. I've tried to find a correlation to when it happens and I'm struggling to find it.
I've also seen the ability to cool down a heat in 3rd or 4th gear (including once where my opponent cooled down 1 heat 2 turns in a row in 4th gear).

Anyway, any insight into when this is allowed would be appreciated, so that way I can also know when it can happen and plan to use it accordingly! That is of course if you don't mind helping a fellow driver who wants to move up the rankings

The rules says if you're last you have a free cooldown.

I do wish BGA have all the ways to cooldown instead of "there are many ways, but the common ways are being in first and second gear." I've always been confused why they just won't tell us the other ways.

If you speak about the tooltips, they are a copy paste of the rulebook for each react action

thoun wrote: ↑19 November 2023, 15:25 The rules says if you're last you have a free cooldown.

Ah, that must be it! I remember reading something about this when I was learning the game, but I haven't found it again since. Thanks!

MamaGoat wrote: ↑19 November 2023, 15:31 I do wish BGA have all the ways to cooldown instead of "there are many ways, but the common ways are being in first and second gear." I've always been confused why they just won't tell us the other ways.

One can still refer to the rulebook.

Aside from cards/weather (which aren't in Arena this season) you get the following cooldowns:
1st gear: 3
2nd gear: 1

If you're in last (or second to last in a 5-6 player game), you also get an additional cool down, whatever gear you're in.

PaulB-UK wrote: ↑20 November 2023, 00:59 Aside from cards/weather (which aren't in Arena this season) you get the following cooldowns:
1st gear: 3
2nd gear: 1

If you're in last (or second to last in a 5-6 player game), you also get an additional cool down, whatever gear you're in.

Thanks for the explanation. I figured it out

PaulB-UK wrote: ↑20 November 2023, 00:59 Aside from cards/weather (which aren't in Arena this season) you get the following cooldowns:
1st gear: 3
2nd gear: 1

If you're in last (or second to last in a 5-6 player game), you also get an additional cool down, whatever gear you're in.

More precisely: if your car is last (or second to last in a race with 5 or 6 cars).
Doesn't matter whether those cars are piloted by players or bot legends.

I've read the rules and played about a dozen games... can someone explain why I don't get 3 cooldown when I'm in first gear? Does "gain access" mean I still have to do something?

"You gain access to Cooldown in a few ways but the most common is from driving in 1st gear (Cooldown 3)"