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Digimon: Beginner Guide

Digimon Card Game
[デジモンカードゲーム]

(i) Terminology

(A) Field
(An explanation of elements on the Field)

The Field (フィールド) is the play area in which the card game takes place. The playing field is divided into your area (自陣) and the opponent's area (敵陣).
The Field consists of the following elements:

  • Security (セキュリティ): The Security is a defensive wall that protects the player; the number of cards in the Security decreases each time the player is attacked. If the player is attacked while they have 0 cards in their Security, they lose the game.
  • Memory Gauge (メモリーゲージ): The Memory Gauge is used for the payment of Cost, and is shared between both players.
  • Deck (デッキ): Where the deck is placed. A Deck is made up of exactly 50 cards, consisting of Digimon Cards, Tamer Cards, and/or Option Cards. Up to 4 cards with the same Card Number can be included in the same Deck.
  • Trash (トラッシュ): A discard pile, where discarded cards are placed face-up.
  • Digitama Deck (デジタマデッキ): Where the Digitama Deck is placed. A Digitama Deck is made up of 0~5 Digitama Cards, and is not mandatory for gameplay. Up to 4 cards with the same Card Number can be included in the same Digitama Deck.
  • Raising Area (育成エリア): Digimon hatched from the Digitama Deck are placed in this area. Digimon placed in the Raising Area cannot activate any effects, but are also not affected by the effects of other cards unless the effect in question specifically targets Digimon placed in the Raising Area.
  • Battle Area (バトルエリア): Digimon and Tamer Cards can be placed into the Battle Area, where they are put into play and considered "Digimon" and "Tamers" respectively.

(B) Digimon Cards and Digitama Cards
Digimon Cards (デジモンカード) and Digitama Cards (デジタマカード) are cards depicting Digimon that are used in-game to battle.
  • Play Cost (登場コスト): The Cost required to play a Digimon, allowing it to enter the Battle Area from the hand.
  • Digimon Power (DP) (デジモンパワー): The Digimon's attack power. During Battle, victory is determined by which side has higher DP. While a Digimon's DP does not decrease when it is attacked, there are effects that can reduce a Digimon's DP. During the game, if a Digimon's DP is reduced to 0 by any sort of effect, that Digimon is destroyed and sent to the discard pile (DP will not become negative).
  • Evolution Requirements (進化条件): States the [Colour] and [Level] of Digimon that are able to evolve into this Digimon, as well as the Cost required for evolution.
  • Effects (効果): Any special effects this Digimon possesses.
  • Level (Lv.): The Digimon's Level. Digimon will evolve into a Digimon one level higher than itself during Evolution.
  • Card Name (カード名)
  • Card Number (カードナンバー)
  • Rarity (レアリティ)
  • Form/Attribute/Type (形態・属性・タイプ): The Digimon's various characteristics.
  • Evolution Base Effect (進化元効果): An effect that can be used after this Digimon has evolved into a higher Level Digimon.

(C) Tamer Cards
Tamer Cards (テイマーカード) are cards depicting human characters, used to support Digimon Cards in battle.
  • Play Cost (登場コスト): The Cost required to play a Tamer, allowing it to enter the Battle Area from the hand.
  • Effects (効果): Any special effects this Tamer possesses.
  • Card Name (カード名)
  • Card Number (カードナンバー)
  • Rarity (レアリティ)
  • Security Effect (セキュリティ効果): An effect that is triggered when this card is flipped face-up while in Security.

(D) Option Cards
  • Option Cards (オプションカード) are support cards with various effects.
  • Usage Cost (使用コスト): The Cost required for this Option Card to be used.
  • Effects (効果): The effects that result from using this Option Card.
  • Card Number (カードナンバー)
  • Rarity (レアリティ)
  • Security Effect (セキュリティ効果): An effect that is triggered when this card is flipped over while in Security.

(ii) Glossary

(A) Card Types
  • Digimon Card (デジモンカード): Cards depicting Digimon.
  • Digitama Card (デジタマカード): Cards depicting Baby level Digimon. Digitama Cards have a different card back from regular cards, and are used only in the Digitama Deck.
  • Option Card (オプションカード): Use-and-throw cards whose effects are mainly triggered when they are played from the player's hand.
  • Tamer Card (テイマーカード): Cards depicting Tamers. While they cannot attack, they are able to bestow effects onto the player's or opponent's Digimon. They cannot be attacked by the opponent's Digimon.
  • Digimon (デジモン): A Digimon Card is treated as a "Digimon" when it is played from the player's hand or deck and placed into the Battle Area, or when it is deployed from the Raising Area.
  • Tamer (テイマー): A Tamer Card is treated as a "Tamer" when it is played from the player's hand or deck and placed into the Battle Area.

(B) Activation Timings
  • When Played (登場時): When the Digimon directly enters the Battle Area from the player's hand. Evolution and moving a Digimon from the Raising Area do not count as [When Played].
  • When Evolving (進化時): When the Digimon on the Field undergoes evolution. Evolution that takes place in the Raising Area will not trigger effects that activate [When Evolving].
  • When Attacking (アタック時): When the Digimon performs an attack. Effects triggered [When Attacking] are carried out before the battle with the opponent Digimon begins, or the Check on the opponent's Security is performed.
  • After Attacking (アタック終了時): When the Digimon with the [After Attacking] effect finishes its attack. If the Digimon with this effect disappears while the attack is still in progress, such as when the Digimon loses the battle, the activation timing does not occur.
  • When Destroyed (消滅時): When the Digimon is destroyed, whether by losing a battle, or by the effects of a card.
  • Your Turn (自分のターン): The entire period from the beginning of your turn to the end of your turn.
  • Both Players' Turns (お互いのターン): An effect with this activation timing continues to remain in effect during the span of both your turn and the opponent's turn.
  • Opponent's Turn (相手のターン): The entire period from the beginning of the opponent's turn to the end of the opponent's turn.
  • Beginning of Your Turn (自分のターン開始時): An effect with this activation timing is triggered the moment your turn begins.
  • Security (セキュリティ): When the card is flipped face-up during a Security Check. When a card that has an effect with this activation timing is flipped face-up while in Security, the effect is triggered without payment of Cost.
  • Main (メイン): Effects with this activation timing can be activated during your Main Phase. They are activated when an Option card with such an effect is played, or when a Digimon or Tamer has such an effect, and you choose to trigger the effect anytime during the Main Phase.

(C) Card State
  • Rest (レスト): The action of turning a card to the horizontal position in order to perform an attack or use a Main effect.
  • Rest Position (レスト状態): The state of a Digimon or Tamer that has been placed horizontally after being Rested.
  • Turn Active (アクティブ): The action of untapping a Digimon or Tamer in the Rest position, turning the card to the vertical position and allowing it to act again.
  • Active Position (アクティブ状態): The state of a Digimon or Tamer that has been placed in the vertical position, denoting that it has not attacked or acted yet.
  • Evolution Base (進化元): A card is situated below a Digimon that has evolved from it. If the card has an Evolution Base Effect, it is now able to activate its Evolution Base Effect.
  • Destroyed (消滅): A Digimon that is sent to the Trash due to either having lost a battle, or receiving an effect that causes destruction.
  • Security Digimon (セキュリティデジモン): When a Digimon card is flipped face-up during a Security Check, that card becomes a Security Digimon. Security Digimon differ from regular Digimon in that Security Digimon are not affected by effects that target Digimon, and Security Digimon cannot activate any of their own effects aside from their Security Effects.

(D) Card Characteristics: All Cards
  • Colour (色): The colour that the card is grouped under.
  • Play Cost (登場コスト): The Cost required to play a Digimon or Tamer, allowing them to enter the Battle Area from the hand.
  • Rarity (レアリティ): The rarity of the card.
  • Effects (効果): Effects found on Digimon, Tamers, and Option Cards. Evolution Base Effects are not considered "Effects".
  • Security Effect (セキュリティ効果): An effect that is triggered when a card is flipped face-up during a Security Check.
  • Once per Turn (ターンに1回): Denotes that this effect can only take effect once per turn. Such effects can only be triggered once, even if the conditions to trigger the effect are fulfilled multiple times within the same turn.

(E) Card Characteristics: Digimon Cards
  • Type (タイプ): One of the characteristics of a Digimon.
  • Attribute (属性): One of the characteristics of a Digimon. The main Attributes a Digimon can have include Vaccine (ワクチン), Data (データ), Virus (ウィルス), and Free (フリー).
  • Baby (幼年期): Denotes the evolution level of a Digimon. Corresponds to a Lv.2 Digimon.
  • Child (成長期): Denotes the evolution level of a Digimon. Corresponds to a Lv.3 Digimon.
  • Adult (成熟期): Denotes the evolution level of a Digimon. Corresponds to a Lv.4 Digimon.
  • Perfect (完全体): Denotes the evolution level of a Digimon. Corresponds to a Lv.5 Digimon.
  • Ultimate (究極体): Denotes the evolution level of a Digimon. Corresponds to a Lv.6 or higher Digimon.

(F) Actions
  • Attack (アタック): The action of using your Digimon to attack either the opponent player, or one of the opponent's Digimon currently in Rest position.
  • Block (ブロック): The action of using the <<Blocker>> effect to take the attack of an opponent Digimon that was intended for another target.
  • Battle (バトル): A "Battle" refers to the match that takes place between 2 Digimon or between a Digimon and a Security Digimon, when a Digimon performs an attack. During a battle, the DP of both Digimon are compared to determine the winner of the battle.
  • Play (登場): The action of placing a Digimon or Tamer from your hand into the Battle Area by paying their Play Cost.
  • Hatching (孵化): The action of flipping 1 card from your Digitama deck face-up, and placing it into your Raising Area during your Raising Phase.
  • Evolution (進化): The action of turning a Digimon into another Digimon 1 Level above it. During evolution, a Digimon card is placed atop a Digimon that meets its Evolution Requirements, and the Evolution Cost is paid. When evolution takes place, the player draws 1 card from their deck as an Evolution Bonus.
  • Discard (破棄): The action of discarding a card.
  • Pass (パス): The action of declaring and voluntarily passing your turn to the opponent during your Main Phase. When a Pass is performed, regardless of the Counter's current position on the Memory Gauge, it is moved to the [3] position on the opponent's Memory Gauge.
  • Check (チェック): The action of flipping a Security card face-up when an attack is performed on a player.

(G) Keyword Effects
  • <<Blocker>> (<<ブロッカー>>): When the opponent Digimon performs an attack, if this Digimon is in the Active position, you may Rest this Digimon and change the target of the attack to this Digimon. This effect can be activated when the opponent's Digimon performs an attack. The target of that attack then becomes the Digimon that used <<Blocker>>, instead of the original target.
  • <<Security Attack + X>> (<<セキュリティアタック＋ｘ>>): The number of Security cards this Digimon Checks increases by X. This effect increases by X the number of Security cards checked when performing an attack on the opponent player. If the number of Security cards to be Checked becomes 2 or more as a result of this effect, perform the Checks one at a time. If the attacking Digimon is destroyed or returned to the hand during a Check, the attack ends at that point.
  • <<Security Attack - X>> (<<セキュリティアタック-ｘ>>): The number of Security cards this Digimon Checks decreases by X. This effect decreases by X the number of Security cards checked when performing an attack on the opponent player. If the number of Security cards to be Checked becomes 0 as a result of this effect (it will not turn negative), you will be unable to Check the opponent's Security, and in the event that the opponent has 0 cards remaining in their Security, you will not win the game even by attacking the player.
  • <<Recovery + X (Deck)>> (<<リカバリー＋ｘ《デッキ》>>): Take X cards from the top of your deck and place them onto Security. When this effect is triggered, take X cards from the top of your deck and place them onto your Security without looking at their contents. This effect allows for the recovery of Security cards; there is no upper limit to the number of cards that can be placed in Security.
  • <<Pierce>> (<<貫通>>): When this Digimon attacks and initiates a battle, if the opponent Digimon is the only Digimon destroyed in that battle, this Digimon Checks Security. When this effect is triggered, when attacking, if the opponent Digimon is the only Digimon destroyed in the battle between it and the attacking Digimon, the attacking Digimon proceeds to Check the opponent's Security cards. This effect is triggered even when the attacking Digimon is blocked; however, it will not be triggered in a battle with a Security Digimon.
  • <<Draw X>> (<<ｘドロー>>): Draw X cards from your deck. When this effect is triggered, draw X cards from your deck and add them to your hand. There is no upper limit to the number of cards you can hold in your hand.
  • <<Jamming>> (<<ジャミング>>): This Digimon cannot be destroyed in a battle with a Security Digimon. A Digimon with this effect will not be destroyed even when it loses a battle against a Security Digimon. If you are still able to perform another Security Check due to the effect of <<Security Attack + X>>, this Digimon can continue performing the next Check.

(iii) Playing the Game
After performing the Game Setup, each player will take turns performing actions, starting from the player who goes first. Each turn consists of four phases: Active Phase, Draw Phase, Raising Phase, and Main Phase, after which the turn ends.

(A) Game Setup
Before the start of the game, each player will carry out the following steps. If there are any discrepancies or contradictions between the rules and card text, the card text takes priority.
  1. Shuffle your Deck and place it in the [Deck] area.
  2. Shuffle your Digitama Deck and place it in the [Digitama Deck] area.
  3. Draw 5 cards from the top of your Deck and place them face-down in your [Security] without looking at their contents.
  4. Decide who goes first and second through a game of rock-paper-scissors; the player who wins the game goes first.
  5. Draw 5 cards from your Deck.
  6. Place the Counter on the [0] position on the [Memory Gauge], and begin the game.

(B) Active Phase
During the Active Phase (アクティブフェイズ), the player untaps all of their cards currently in the Rest position (レスト状態), turning them Active.

(C) Draw Phase
During the Draw Phase (ドローフェイズ), the player draws 1 card from their Deck. If during this Phase, the player's Deck is out of cards and the player is unable to draw a card, the player loses the game. The player who goes first does not draw a card during Draw Phase, only on their first turn.

(D) Raising Phase
During the Raising Phase (育成フェイズ), the player can choose to perform one of the following three acts only once: [Hatch a Digitama], [Deploy a Digimon from the Raising Area], or [Do nothing].
  • (1) Hatch a Digitama
    • This act can only be performed if there are no Digimon in the player's Raising Area. The player flips 1 card from the top of their Digitama Deck face-up, and places it in their Raising Area.
  • (2) Deploy a Digimon from the Raising Area
    • A Digimon in the Raising Area can be deployed to the Battle Area if it has evolved to Level 3 or higher; Level 2 or lower Digimon cannot be deployed to the Battle Area. However, deploying Digimon from the Raising Area does not count as "entry"; as such, it will not trigger effects that are triggered upon entry, and the Digimon deployed to the Battle Area can attack on the same turn they are deployed.
  • (3) Do nothing
    • No actions are performed, and the player proceeds to the next Phase.

(E) Main Phase
During the Main Phase (メインフェイズ), the player can choose to perform the following five acts in any order they wish, and as many times as they are able: [Digimon Entry], [Digimon Evolution], [Tamer Entry], [Use an Option Card], and [Attack]. The Main Phase, and subsequently the player's turn, automatically ends when the Cost paid for an action causes the Counter to move to position [1] or further on the opponent's side of the Memory Gauge. If the Counter is still on the player's side of the Memory Gauge, and the player has no more actions they wish to perform during this turn, they can declare to [Pass] their turn.

  • (1) Digimon Entry
    • In this act, a Digimon Card is made to enter the Battle Area from the player's hand. The player places the Digimon Card they wish to enter from their hand onto the Battle Area in the Active position, and pays their Entry Cost to complete the entry. There is no limit on the number of Digimon that can be placed in the Battle Area, and Digimon cannot attack on the same turn they enter.
  • (2) Digimon Evolution
    • In this act, the player evolves a Digimon in their Battle Area or Raising Area.
      1. The player looks at the Evolution Requirements of the Digimon card in their hand; that card can be used to evolve a Digimon matching the required colour and Level that the player currently has in play.
      2. The player places that card onto a Digimon card in play that meets the Evolution Requirements, such that the bottom Digimon's Evolution Base Effect is visible.
      3. The player pays the Evolution Cost, and the evolution is completed.
      4. As an "evolution bonus", after performing an evolution, the player draws 1 card from their deck and adds it to their hand.
    • When a card is stacked atop another card during evolution, the cards below become "Evolution Bases", and their Evolution Base Effect become usable. A Digimon card and its Evolution Bases are all treated as a single Digimon; when a Digimon is destroyed, it is sent to the discard pile along with all of its Evolution Base cards.
  • (3) Tamer Entry
    • In this act, a Tamer Card is made to enter the Battle Area from the player's hand. The player places the Tamer Card they wish to enter from their hand onto the Battle Area in the Active position, and pays their Entry Cost to complete the entry. There is no limit on the number of Tamers that can be placed in the Battle Area, and Tamers cannot attack or block.
  • (4) Use an Option Card
    • In this act, players can activate the main effect on their Option Cards. In order to use an Option Card from their hand, the player must have a Digimon or Tamer of the same colour as the Option Card already in play. By deploying an Option Card from their hand and paying the Usage Cost, players may trigger the card's main effect. After its effect is triggered, the Option Card is sent to the discard pile and placed in the Trash area. Security effects on Option cards cannot be triggered when the card is played from the player's hand.
  • (5) Attack
    • In this act, players attack using the Digimon placed in their Battle Area.
      1. The player chooses a Digimon in the Active position to use for the attack, places it in the Rest position, and announces the attack.
      2. If there are any effects that are triggered "when attacking", they will take effect at this point of time.
      3. The player chooses the target of the attack; attacks can either target one of the opponent player's Digimon placed in their Battle Area in the Rest position, or the opponent player themselves.
    • When attacking the opponent's Digimon: A battle between the attacking Digimon and the target Digimon begins. The Digimon with higher DP wins the battle, and the losing Digimon is destroyed and sent to the Trash area. Should both Digimon have the same DP, the battle ends in a draw and both Digimon are destroyed.
    • When attacking the opponent player:
      1. If the opponent player has 1 or more cards remaining in their Security, the opponent flips the top card of their Security face-up. This action of flipping a Security card face-up when attacked is called a [Check].
      2. If the card produced by a Check has a Security Effect, that Security Effect is triggered. Security Effects can be triggered without the need to pay any Cost, and are not affected by colour restrictions in the case of Option Cards.
      3. After the card's Security Effect has been triggered, or if the card produced by the Check does not have a Security Effect, the following occurs depending on the type of card produced by the Check:
        • - Digimon Card: When a Digimon Card is produced by the Check, the Digimon becomes a [Security Digimon], and enters a battle with the attacking Digimon. The battle flow here is the same as the battle flow when attacking a Digimon in the Battle Area, and the Digimon with higher DP wins the battle. Security Digimon are not considered regular Digimon, and are not affected by effects that target Digimon; however, Security Digimon cannot trigger effects aside from their own Security Effect. If the attacking Digimon loses the battle, the attacking Digimon is destroyed and the battle ends. Regardless of the outcome of the battle, the Security Digimon is discarded after the battle ends.
        • - Option Card/Tamer Card: The card is discarded. (However, if the card has a Security Effect that allows it to enter play or be added to the player's hand, it will not be discarded.
    • If an attack on the opponent player succeeds when the opponent player has 0 cards left in their Security, the attacking player wins the game.
      • When Checking 2 or more Security cards in 1 attack: When multiple Security cards have to be Checked in one attack, such as in the case where the attacking Digimon has <<Security Attack +1>>, perform the Checks 1 card at a time. If the attacking Digimon is destroyed or returned to the attacking player's hand by the card produced by the first Check, the attack ends at that point.
      • When the Security becomes 0: When the number of cards in the Security is reduced to 0, the attack ends, ignoring effects such as <<Security Attack +1>> that allow the Checking of additional Security cards. The game continues even when the Security reaches 0; when the player whose Security has reached 0 is attacked once more in that state, the attacking player wins the game.
      • Blocking with <<Blocker>>: Some Digimon have the <<Blocker>> effect, which allows them to [Block] the opponent's attack, taking the attack in place of the original target. When a Block is carried out, the target of the opponent Digimon's attack becomes the Blocking Digimon, and the battle commences. Blocking can be used to defend against attacks that can potentially destroy Digimon or attack Security.
  • (6) Pass
    • When the player has no more actions they wish to perform during this turn, they can declare to Pass their turn, passing the turn to the opponent. When a Pass is carried out, the Counter is moved to the [3] position on the opponent's side of the Memory Gauge, regardless of the Counter's current position.

(F) Turn End
  • During a player's turn, if the Counter moves to position [1] and beyond on the opponent's side of the Memory Gauge after a Cost is paid, the player's turn automatically ends, and the opponent's turn begins after any effects that were in the process of being triggered have been completed. The position of the Counter on the Memory Gauge remains in the position it was in when the turn ended (excluding when a Pass had been carried out). E.g. If a Cost of 5 is paid while the Counter is in the [1] position, the Counter moves to the [4] position on the opponent's side, and the opponent begins their turn with the Counter in the [4] position.

(G) Game End
  • A player wins the game by fulfilling one of the following conditions:
    • Successfully performing an attack on the opponent player while the opponent player's Security is 0.
    • The opponent is unable to draw a card during their Draw Phase due to their Deck having 0 cards remaining

(iv) Playsheet (Promo)


(V) Official Links