diff --git a/internal/game/board.go b/internal/game/board.go
index df7e9ff..db4935c 100644
--- a/internal/game/board.go
+++ b/internal/game/board.go
@@ -24,8 +24,11 @@ func (b *Board) String() string {
 func (b *Board) GetRow(id int) []*Card {
 	if id == SentinalID {
 		return b.Sentinal[:]
-	} else {
+	} else if id == ScourgeID {
 		return b.Scourge[:]
+	} else {
+		log.Println("asked for invalid row")
+		return nil
 	}
 }
 
@@ -151,10 +154,10 @@ func (b *Board) Attack(id, atk, def int) int {
 func (b *Board) ResetCards() {
 	for _, v := range b.Sentinal {
 		v.Power = v.BasePower
-		v.Effects = []Effect{}
+		v.Effects = []*Effect{}
 	}
 	for _, v := range b.Scourge {
 		v.Power = v.BasePower
-		v.Effects = []Effect{}
+		v.Effects = []*Effect{}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/game/card.go b/internal/game/card.go
index f684b50..1a44fad 100644
--- a/internal/game/card.go
+++ b/internal/game/card.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ type Card struct {
 	Owner     int       `json:"owner"`
 	Position  int       `json:"position"`
 	Spell     bool      `json:"spell"`
-	Effects   []Effect  `json:"effects"`
+	Effects   []*Effect `json:"effects"`
 }
 
 type CardType int
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func NewCard(v, o, p int, id uuid.UUID) *Card {
 		Owner:     o,
 		Position:  p,
 		Spell:     OracleSpell(CardType(v), nil),
-		Effects:   []Effect{},
+		Effects:   []*Effect{},
 	}
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func NewEmpty(p int) *Card {
 		Owner:     -1,
 		Position:  p,
 		Spell:     false,
-		Effects:   []Effect{},
+		Effects:   []*Effect{},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/game/effect.go b/internal/game/effect.go
index 28a5232..7806b30 100644
--- a/internal/game/effect.go
+++ b/internal/game/effect.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package game
 
-import "github.com/google/uuid"
+import (
+	"log"
+
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+)
 
 type Effect struct {
 	Owner  uuid.UUID
@@ -19,14 +23,17 @@ func RemoveEffect(source uuid.UUID, c *Card) {
 	}
 }
 
-func AddEffect(c *Card, e Effect) {
+func AddEffect(c *Card, e *Effect) {
 	if c.Type == EmptyValue {
+		log.Println("Can't add effect to empty card")
 		return
 	}
 	for _, v := range c.Effects {
 		if v.Owner == e.Owner && v.ID == e.ID {
+			log.Println("can't stack effects")
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	log.Printf("applying %v to %v", e, c)
 	c.Effects = append(c.Effects, e)
 }
diff --git a/internal/game/game.go b/internal/game/game.go
index c40b45c..22664fc 100644
--- a/internal/game/game.go
+++ b/internal/game/game.go
@@ -127,13 +127,13 @@ func (g *Game) StateChanges() {
 	}
 	//reapply card effects
 	g.GameBoard.ResetCards()
-	for _, v := range g.GameBoard.Sentinal {
-		OracleTick(v, g)   //apply effect stacks first
-		OracleEffect(v, g) //actually activate effects
+	for i := 0; i < len(g.GameBoard.Sentinal); i++ {
+		OracleTick(g.GameBoard.Sentinal[i], g) //apply effect stacks first
+		OracleTick(g.GameBoard.Scourge[i], g)
 	}
-	for _, v := range g.GameBoard.Scourge {
-		OracleTick(v, g)
-		OracleEffect(v, g)
+	for i := 0; i < len(g.GameBoard.Sentinal); i++ {
+		OracleEffect(g.GameBoard.Sentinal[i], g) //activate effects
+		OracleEffect(g.GameBoard.Scourge[i], g)
 	}
 	//check life
 	//this is second on purpose so that it shadows deck out win conditions
diff --git a/internal/game/oracle.go b/internal/game/oracle.go
index 80f3de0..2f00508 100644
--- a/internal/game/oracle.go
+++ b/internal/game/oracle.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package game
 
+import "log"
+
 func OracleUpkeep(c *Card, g *Game) {
 	switch c.Type {
 	case Eight:
@@ -39,13 +41,16 @@ func OracleEnters(c *Card, g *Game) {
 		c.Sick = false
 		return
 	case Four:
-		AddEffect(c, Effect{c.Id, c.Id, 2})
+		AddEffect(c, &Effect{c.Id, c.Id, 2})
 	case Eight:
 		c.Counters = 0
 	}
 }
 
 func OracleTick(c *Card, g *Game) {
+	if c.Type == EmptyValue {
+		return
+	}
 	row := g.GameBoard.GetRow(c.Owner)
 
 	switch c.Type {
@@ -53,25 +58,25 @@ func OracleTick(c *Card, g *Game) {
 		//+1 to all
 		for _, v := range row {
 			if v.Id != c.Id {
-				AddEffect(v, Effect{c.Id, v.Id, 1})
+				AddEffect(v, &Effect{c.Id, v.Id, 1})
 			}
 		}
 	case Three:
 		//+1 around it
 		if c.Position-1 >= 0 {
-			v := row[c.Position-1]
-			AddEffect(v, Effect{c.Id, v.Id, 1})
+			AddEffect(row[c.Position-1], &Effect{c.Id, row[c.Position-1].Id, 1})
 
 		}
 		if c.Position+1 <= 3 {
-			v := row[c.Position+1]
-			AddEffect(v, Effect{c.Id, v.Id, 1})
-
+			AddEffect(row[c.Position+1], &Effect{c.Id, row[c.Position+1].Id, 1})
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 func OracleLeaves(c *Card, g *Game) {
+	if c.Empty() {
+		return
+	}
 	row := g.GameBoard.GetRow(c.Owner)
 	switch c.Type {
 	case Two:
@@ -123,8 +128,13 @@ func OracleAttack(c *Card, g *Game) {
 }
 
 func OracleEffect(c *Card, g *Game) {
+	if c.Empty() {
+		return
+	}
 	for _, e := range c.Effects {
 		switch e.ID {
+		case 0:
+			log.Println("dummy effect applied. probably a bug")
 		case 1:
 			c.Power = c.Power + 1
 		case 2:
@@ -136,6 +146,8 @@ func OracleEffect(c *Card, g *Game) {
 			g.CanDraw = true
 			g.HasDrawn = false
 			RemoveEffect(e.Owner, c)
+		default:
+			log.Println("wrong effect type")
 		}
 	}
 }