Digimon Digi-Battle Card Game
Digimon Digi-Battle Card Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Digimon Digi-Battle Facts
Q. What are DIGIMON? A. Digimon are Digital Monsters that live on File Island. You can match them in battles with one another to see who has more power. With your help, they can DIGIVOLVE into more powerful monsters to increase their chances of winning.
Q. How many can play? A. Two.
Q. What do you need to play? A. 1. Two BATTLE DECKS of 30 different Digi-Battle cards each – a total of 60 cards (62 provided with Starter Set 1). 2. One game mat. 3. Two score counters.
Q. What is the basic premise of the game? A. Players face each other across the game mat. They each select Digimon cards from their Battle Decks to do battle in the DUEL ZONE. DIGIMON POWER data on the cards will show, depending on the BATTLE TYPE of the opponent, who has more relative strength.
As the Digimon Digivolve to more powerful forms in the DIGIVOLVE PHASE, and as they acquire different powers and identities with the help of POWER OPTION cards in the BATTLE PHASE, their relative strength will change. When both players have finished playing their Power Option cards, the Digimon Power data on the cards will show who has won the Duel. The winner of the Duel is awarded points.
Q. How do you score points? A. The winner scores points as shown in the SCORE section at the bottom of the winning Digimon card, based on the DIGIVOLVE LEVEL (Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, Mega) of the defeated opponent.
Q. How do you win the game? A. The first to score 1,000 points wins the game.
Q. Can I customize my Battle Deck? A. Yes! Players may agree to play with Battle Decks they've put together before the game. These customized Battle Decks can be composed of any 30 different cards.
Digimon Digi-Battle Cards
There are 2 kinds of cards: DIGIMON cards and POWER OPTION cards. Digimon cards are the character cards that fight their battles in the DUEL ZONE. Power Option cards are used to enhance the power and flexibility of the battling Digimon cards.
The cards are available in one complete STARTER SET. The Starter Set contains 62 different cards, a game mat, 2 score counters, and an instruction sheet. There are 48 different Digimon cards and 14 different Power Option cards. The cards in the Starter Set are identified by an "ST-" prefix to their card number.
Digimon Cards
Digimon cards are divided into three BATTLE TYPES: ● (RED), ■ (GREEN), and ◆ (YELLOW). The Battle Type of your OPPONENT is what determines your relative DIGIMON POWER. This relationship changes from card to card, as shown in the Digimon Power chart on each Digimon card. In general, ◆ (YELLOW) is more powerful than ■ (GREEN), and ■ (GREEN) is more powerful than ● (RED), but at times ● (RED) is more powerful than ◆ (YELLOW). You can think of this as similar to the relationships in "Rock, Scissors, Paper."
They are further differentiated into four DIGIVOLVE levels. These levels are, in ascending order: ROOKIE, CHAMPION, ULTIMATE, and MEGA. The higher the level, the stronger the card. To Digivolve your battling Digimon to the next level, you must play a card that meets the DIGIVOLVE REQUIREMENTS. The Digivolve Requirements are shown in a box at the top of the card.
Power Option Cards
POWER OPTION cards come in three types: DIGIVOLVE, FORCE FX, and POWER BLAST cards.
DIGIVOLVE cards are used in the Digivolve Phase to evolve the battling Digimon to a more powerful state. Take a moment to read the EFFECTS described on the Digivolve cards.
FORCE FX cards are used in the Battle Phase to change the COLOR of your Digimon Power – ● (RED), ■ (GREEN), and ◆ (YELLOW) – regardless of the Battle Type of your opponent.
POWER BLAST cards are used in the Battle Phase to enhance the battling Digimon in several different ways, depending on what is printed on the card. Take a moment to read the EFFECTS described on the Power Blast cards.
Card Anatomy and Play Areas
The card-anatomy diagram on the instruction sheet labels these parts of a Digimon card: BATTLE TYPE (● RED, ■ GREEN, ◆ YELLOW); CARD NUMBER; DIGIVOLVE LEVEL (Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, or Mega); DIGIVOLVE REQUIREMENTS (shows what card must be in the Duel Zone, also the cost (number of cards Offlined), or other requirements); DIGIMON NAME; DIGIMON POWER (based on Battle Type of opponent: ● Red, ■ Green, ◆ Yellow); SCORE (based on the Digivolve Level of the opponent; R = Rookie, C = Champion, U = Ultimate, M = Mega); DIGIMON GROUP; DIGIMON TYPE; SPECIAL ABILITY (not shown; Swim, Fly, or Dig; pertains to effects of Power Blast cards); POWER TECHNIQUES; and SPECIAL EFFECT (special powers attached to the card).
The game mat is labelled with these areas: POWER PORT (Power Option cards that enhance the power of the battling Digimon played here); DUEL ZONE (battling Digimon played here); ONLINE (shuffled deck waits here); DIGIVOLVE ZONE (Digimon ready to take battling Digimon to the next level played here); OFFLINE (discarded cards wait here); and RULES (a condensed version of the game rules).
A. Set-Up
- Spread out all 62 DIGI-BATTLE cards face up on a flat surface. Flip a coin to decide who goes first. Players take turns choosing cards, one at a time, until each has created a BATTLE DECK of 30 cards. Put the 2 leftover cards aside. (Note: Players may agree to play with their own previously customized Battle Decks. These can include any 30 different cards. No duplicates.)
- Each selects a ROOKIE card from the deck, and places it face down on the DUEL ZONE.
- Each shuffles the remaining 29 cards, deals himself or herself 10, and places the remaining 19 cards face down ONLINE.
- Each turns over the Rookie card in the Duel Zone.
Players now see which card their opponent has played and note its BATTLE TYPE: ● (RED), ■ (GREEN), or ◆ (YELLOW). They then refer to the chart on their card showing the amount of DIGIMON POWER they can blast at that type of opponent. The player who displays the higher amount of Digimon Power has the advantage, and, if no more cards are played, wins the Duel.
The players now review the 10 cards in their hand and consider strategy. To increase the amount of Digimon Power you can blast at your opponent, you'll probably want to Digivolve to the next level. Proceed to the DIGIVOLVE phase.
Tip: When choosing your Battle Deck, make sure to include an evolutionary "tree" of Digimon that can Digivolve to the highest levels. One way to do this is to build backward from Mega level, making sure to pick Digimon that appear in the Digivolve Requirements of the cards you've chosen in descending order. (Hint: To find "family trees" notice the backgrounds behind the Digimon.)
Tip: Make sure to include enough Power Option cards to give yourself Power Options!
Example A (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2): In Example A, you and your opponent have chosen your Battle Decks, placed your Rookies face down on the Duel Zone, shuffled and dealt yourselves 10 cards each, and placed the remaining cards face down Online (Fig. 1).
Now, you turn over your Rookies (Fig. 2). Your opponent has played Rookie TENTOMON with Battle Type ● (RED), and you have played Rookie OTAMAMON with Battle Type ◆ (YELLOW). Compare your Digimon Power. Notice how the amount of Digimon Power is determined by the BATTLE TYPE of the OPPONENT. Now you see that your opponent blasts you with Digimon Power of 350, while you respond with Digimon Power of only 120. Your opponent has the advantage!
B. Digivolve
Both players review their hands, and if they have a card that Digivolves their Digimon to the next level, they place it face down on the DIGIVOLVE ZONE. This new next-level card must show the name of the Digimon currently in the Duel Zone in its DIGIVOLVE REQUIREMENTS box, and you must be prepared to fulfill any other Digivolve Requirements stated there.
- Flip a coin to decide who goes first.
- Player who goes first turns over the card on the Digivolve Zone and places it face up on top of the card in the Duel Zone.
- Player completes turn by fulfilling any Digivolve Requirements shown on the next-level card. For example:
- Digivolving from Rookie to Champion requires moving 1 or 2 cards from Online to Offline as "payment." (See example below.)
- Digivolving from Champion to Ultimate or from Ultimate to Mega requires that you either: a) Place a DIGIVICE Power Option* card on the POWER PORT, or b) DNA Digivolve, which means you must play 2 lower-level cards instead of 1. You do this by placing the second Digimon (the one not showing on the Duel Zone) face up on the Power Port when you turn over the next-level Digimon on the Duel Zone.
*Note: There are two other Power Option cards that can be used in the Digivolve Phase. They are ULTRA DIGIVOLVE and DIGIVOLVE TO CHAMPION. See instructions in the EFFECTS section of each card for use.
- After the first player has finished Digivolving, the second player notes any changes in DIGIMON POWER, and may respond by either:
- Digivolving as shown above, or
- Deciding not to Digivolve and saying "Pass." If the player who passes has a card face down on the Digivolve Zone, he must move it Offline; in other words, "Use it, or lose it."
If a player does not have a card in hand to Digivolve, he or she must pass. If both players do not have cards in hand to Digivolve, proceed to the BATTLE phase.
You may Digivolve only one level per Duel. After each player has either Digivolved or passed, the Digivolve phase is over. Proceed to the BATTLE phase.
Example B: In Example B, your opponent has won the toss and goes first, turning over a Champion level GEKOMON with a Battle Type ◆ (YELLOW). You turn over a Champion level TORTOMON with a Battle Type ● (RED). You each move 1 card from ONLINE to OFFLINE, as required by the Digivolve Requirements.
Compare your Digimon Power. Your opponent blasts you with Digimon Power of 270, while you counter with Digimon Power of 370. Now you have the advantage!
C. Battle
Starting with the winner of the coin toss, players now take turns playing POWER OPTION cards on the POWER PORT, one card per turn. Each Power Option card has an EFFECT that you can use to try for an advantage over your opponent. Some Power Option cards have Use Requirements attached to their Effect. You must complete these Use Requirements as part of your turn for the Effect to come into play. Keep track of how the dueling Digimon's relative strength changes with each card played, as shown by comparing DIGIMON POWER.
Continue taking turns until a player runs out of Power Option cards to play, or decides to stop playing them, and says "Pass." The other player may continue to play Power Option cards until he or she runs out of cards or decides to stop.
When the play stops, the player displaying the most Digimon Power wins the Duel.
Winner scores points depending on the Digivolve Level (Rookie, Champion, Ultimate, Mega) of the defeated opponent, as shown in the SCORE section at the bottom of the winning card. Winner adds the new points to his score counter.
Winner keeps all Digimon on the DUEL ZONE. Defeated player sends all Digimon, except the Rookie, OFFLINE. Both players send all Power Option cards Offline.
Winner goes first in the next Duel.
In the event of a tie, all Digimon remain on the Duel Zone and all Power Option cards are sent Offline. No points are scored. Winner of the previous Duel (or of the coin toss) goes first in the next Duel.
The first player to score 1,000 points wins the game.
Example C: The callout on the sheet reads "Opponent's DIGIMON POWER changes from RED to GREEN when playing the FORCE FX/GREEN OFFENSIVE card," and "Add 50 points to your DIGIMON POWER of 370 when you play the POWER BLAST/METAL ATTACK card, for a total of 420."
In Example C, your opponent battles back, placing a FORCE FX/GREEN OFFENSIVE card on the POWER PORT. This has the EFFECT of changing his or her Digimon Power to ■ (GREEN). That means he or she now blasts you with Digimon Power of 390 against your 370, giving him or her the advantage.
You counter with a POWER BLAST/METAL ATTACK card that has the EFFECT of adding 50 points to your Digimon Power, giving you 420 to his or her 390. Your opponent examines his or her hand, sees he or she is out of options and passes. You win the Duel!
To determine your score, see the SCORE chart at the bottom of your winning Digimon card. Since your opponent was a Champion, find "C" for Champion and see that you've won 100 points. Add the points to your Score Counter.
The SCORE chart on the card reads: R:100, C:100 (circled in the example), U:200, M:300.
D. Re-Group
First, you must restore your hand to 10 cards by drawing from the ONLINE deck. Players may discard as many cards from their remaining hand to OFFLINE as they wish, and draw as many new cards from the Online deck as needed to restore their hand to 10 cards. (This is the only time when you may restore your hand.)
When there are not enough cards remaining in the Online deck to restore your hand to 10 cards, draw down to zero, then send ALL the cards on your side of the board, except the Rookie, Offline. Shuffle them and place them face down Online. You may then draw as many as needed to restore your hand to 10 cards.
Note: If at any time during play the number of your Online cards goes down to zero (either by your action or your opponent's), you must send ALL the cards on your side of the board, except the Rookie, Offline. Then shuffle them and place them face down Online before resuming play.
At this point, players have the option of changing their Rookie (if they have one on the Duel Zone). To set up a change, place the new Rookie face down on top of the old Rookie. If you have a card with the Requirements to Digivolve your new Rookie to the next level, you would use it now by placing it face down on the Digivolve Zone. (Both cards will be turned over when it's your turn to Digivolve.)
Players may prepare to Digivolve any Digimon on their Duel Zone by placing the next-level card (with the correct Digivolve Requirements) face down on the Digivolve Zone.
Winner of the last Duel initiates the new Duel by starting at step #2 of B. DIGIVOLVE. If the last Duel ended in a tie, the player who went first last time initiates the new Duel.
Example D: In Example D, your opponent has decided to change his or her Rookie, and has set up the change by placing the new Rookie face down on top of the old Rookie on the Duel Zone. He or she also sets up to Digivolve the new Rookie by placing a Champion with the correct Digivolve Requirements face down on the Digivolve Zone.
After drawing from the Online deck to restore your hand to 10 cards, you see an opportunity to Digivolve your Champion to Ultimate. In this case, the Digivolve Requirements of the Ultimate you want to play call for the use of a DIGIVICE Power Option card. You place the Ultimate card face down on the Digivolve Zone, and place the appropriate Digivice card face down on the Power Port.
Since you won the last Duel, you begin the new one by turning your Ultimate card face up and placing it on top of the card in the Duel Zone. The Battle is on!
Tip: Take time to become familiar with your Digimon. They each have a unique personality. Many of them have Special Abilities, and some of them have powerful Special Effects that you can use to your advantage in DIGIMON DIGI-BATTLE!