Yokai Battle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• How to win
• Game mode
• Player's turn order
• Preparation of the board
• Game set-up
  • Preparation of the chakra meter
  • Preparation of the decks
  • Opening drawing ritual
• Course of a round
  • Addition and distribution of chakra points (CPs)
  • Combat phase
  • Draw phase and turn closure
  • End of the round
• Monster cards
  • How to read a monster card
• Combat phase
  • Summoning of monster cards
  • Bonuses and penalties for summoned monster
  • Summoned monsters' attack and retaliation
  • Attacks & retaliation after summoning
• Ability caption
  • How to read a monster ability
• List of abilities
  • Fire ability
  • Water ability
  • Earth ability
  • Wood ability
  • Metal ability
  • Colorless ability
• Deck of cards list

How to win

• You have to conquer 5 terrain cards by summoning 5 of your monsters onto them.

Or,

• Have the opposing players draw a card when their deck is empty.

After you've summoned your 5th monster, it either survives and its player wins the game, or dies and the game continues.

Game mode

• 4 player game: every man for himself or cooperation 2 VS 2.
• 2 or 3 player game: every man for himself.

Player's turn order

The oldest player starts the game and prepares the board (also called "Kekkai"). Then the game is played in turns, in clockwise order.

Cooperation mode turn order: two players from the same team can't play one after the other. Teams' turns must be alternated.

Preparation of the board

The board is your battle arena consisting of terrain cards arranged in rows. Combine the requested number of terrain cards per element type and shuffle them face down. Then place them face up in rows in the order drawn to create the battle area.

• 2 players: Combine 2 terrain cards per element and place them in 3 rows of 3 cards each.
• 3 players: Combine 3 terrain cards per element and place them in 1 row of 3 cards and 2 rows of 4 cards each.
• 4 players: Combine 3 terrain cards per element and place them in 1 row of 3 cards and 3 rows of 4 cards each.

Some terrain cards may not be used to prepare the board; just put them aside.

Game set-up

Preparation of the chakra meter

To play your cards, you must spend chakra points. Place the chakra meter as illustrated on page 4. Place the chakra wheel on it and make sure the number "2" is placed just below the needle.

Preparation of the decks

Your deck must contain 22 cards. Shuffle your deck and then place it next to you. The players must place both their decks and used cards pile next to them.

Opening drawing ritual

This draw is only performed BEFORE the players enter into a duel. Each player draws 5 cards from their deck (*). Then they start the game.

(*) You should perform the opening ritual again if you don't have at least 2 cards worth 1 chakra point each in your hand.

Course of a round

The game is played in rounds. Each round starts by increasing the chakra meter by 1. Then the game is played in turns, in clockwise order. A player's turn includes a combat phase, draw phase and turn closure.

Addition and distribution of chakra points (CPs)

Players start the game with 2 CP. Then they add 1 CP for each new round to be played until they reach 10 CPs per round. The number indicated on the chakra wheel right below the meter needle sets the number of chakra points players can spend for summoning monsters on their turn.

Combat phase

Players have to spend their chakra points (CPs) to either summon their monsters or to attack enemy monsters with the ones they have previously summoned. No more than 2 monsters can be summoned per combat phase. Only one monster can be summoned per terrain card.

Draw phase and turn closure

Each player has to close his turn and then immediately draw one card after each end of their turns. If they have less than 5 cards in their hand after their draw, they are allowed to draw cards repeatedly to bring their number of cards to 5. Then the next player can play his turn.

(The draw illustration is captioned "+1 card" and "+4 cards".)

End of the round

After a round is done, the player's remaining CPs are reset to 0 and a new round begins. Players' CPs are not cumulative from one turn to the next.

Monster cards

Monsters, or yokai, are Japanese occult creatures formed by mankind's deepest fears.

How to read a monster card

• Chakra points (CPs): this number corresponds to the amount of CPs required to summon the monster.
• Element linked: the element linked to the monster.
• Monster's life points (LPs): the monster's life points.
• Attack points (APs): this number corresponds to the amount of damage inflicted.
• Life-counter disc: to be placed under the card. A monster cannot have more than 10 LPs.
• Monster's total LPs: the total LPs shown for the summoned monster.
• Monster's ability.
• Monster's name.

Each player has a set of 4 life-counter discs that matches the color of his deck.

Combat phase

Summoning of monster cards

• Players may claim up to two monsters during their turn.
• A monster cannot change its position after being summoned.
• If a monster runs out of Life Points (LPs) it must be thrown in the discard pile.

1. Placing a monster on a terrain card is called a summoning. To summon a monster, players must first pay the cost of summoning in chakra points (CPs).
2. Monsters can be placed on one of the terrain cards either horizontally or vertically in order to direct its most powerful attack against its target, or to protect its weak side.
3. Once the monster has been summoned, players must indicate its total life points (LPs).

Total LPs = monster LPs + bonuses or penalties (see below).

Bonuses and penalties for summoned monster

Monsters can be summoned on favorable or unfavorable terrain cards.

A monster summoned on a terrain card of the same element (favorable terrain) is awarded 2 bonus points:

1. Its ability can be used.
2. 1 LP is added to the LPs indicated on the card.
   • 3-4 player game: 2 LPs is added to the LPs indicated on the card.

A monster summoned on a terrain card of a different element (unfavorable terrain) receives 2 penalties:

1. Its ability cannot be used.
2. 1 LP is removed from the LPs indicated on the card.
   • 3-4 player game: 2 LPs are removed from the LPs indicated on the card.

Only colorless monsters are not affected by terrain bonuses or penalties. They can use their ability everywhere. Their LPs do not change when summoned.

Summoned monsters' attack and retaliation

The attacking area is like a cross matrix. A target cannot be attacked diagonally. A monster summoned next to one or more enemy monsters must pick one of them and attack it. The attacked monster immediately retaliates. Both monsters receive damage points corresponding with the attack points (APs) indicated on the sides of the cards that touch.

Only two monsters can enter a duel. All other monsters can't participate in it.

Attacks & retaliation after summoning

A player can use any of his monsters to launch further attacks after a summoning attack, even in the same turn. Any attack launched after a summoning costs the same number of chakra points as the number of APs used to launch the attack. A monster can attack repeatedly until it dies. A monster retaliates each time it is attacked.

Players must update their monster's LPs each time its LPs increase or decrease by using the life-counter discs.

Ability caption

When players play as a team, their monsters' ability can be both applied to players and monsters from the same team.

The game includes 6 summary cards. Keep them handy so you can use them when you have a doubt about the meaning of a special ability.

How to read a monster ability

A monster ability is read in four parts: (1) Trigger, (2) Effect of ability, (3) Target, (4) Limitation.

(1) Trigger

• When summoned
• Each time it fights
• When killed
• As long as it is alive

(2) Effect of ability

• APs are multiplied
• APs are decreased
• Cannot attack
• LPs are increased
• LPs are decreased
• LPs can be transferred
• LPs are decreased to 1
• Draw an extra card
• Cannot draw cards
• Cannot summon monsters
• Cannot use its ability

(3) Target

• You
• An opposing player
• An ally monster
• An enemy monster

(4) Limitation

• The effect is restricted to a distance of 1 terrain card
• The effect is restricted to a distance of 2 terrain cards
• The effect is restricted to the metal terrain cards
• The effect is restricted to the opposing player's next turn

Reminder: abilities can only be used if the monster is summoned on a favorable terrain.

List of abilities

The ability area of effect is like a cross matrix. Effects cannot be applied diagonally.

Fire ability

• When summoned, decrease the LP of an enemy monster by 1. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 2 terrain cards.
• When killed, decrease the LP of an enemy monster by 1. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 1 terrain card.

Tip: the fire-monster target icon allows you to target any of the enemy monsters.

Water ability

• As long as it is alive, this monster gives you the ability to transfer its LPs to an ally monster of your choosing. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 2 terrain cards.
• When summoned, increase every ally monster's LPs by 1. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 1 terrain card.

Tip: the transfer of LPs is only allowed during a player's turn. A full transfer of LPs kills the monster.

Earth ability

• As long as it is alive, prohibit the use of the ability of every enemy monster. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 2 terrain cards.
  • Tip: If several Daki are alive on the board, the special ability of the first Daki summoned supersedes the others' ability.
• Each time it fights, decrease the APs of an enemy monster by 1.

Wood ability

• When killed, prohibit an opposing player from drawing cards. Its effect is restricted to the opposing player's next turn.
  • Tip: the opposing-player target icon allows you to target any of them.
• When killed, decrease the LPs of an enemy monster to 1. Its effect is restricted to a distance of 1 terrain card.

Metal ability

• When summoned, the monster cannot attack.
  • Tip 1: When summoned, the monsters Nue & Gashadokuro hide and stay stealth. They can't use their immediate attack so enemy monsters can't retaliate, but may choose to spend CP on their turn to attack them (even right after they've been summoned).
  • Tip 2: For instance, if the monster Nue or Gashadokuro is summoned next to a monster that cancels its ability, or on an unfavorable terrain, it'll unlock its ability to attack any enemy monster.
• As long as it is alive, it prohibits the summoning of every enemy monster. Its effect is restricted to the metal terrain cards.

Colorless ability

• When summoned, multiply its APs by 2.
• When summoned, this allows its player to draw one extra card from his deck.
  • Tip: this ability cannot be used by players who have been prohibited from drawing cards on their turn.

Deck of cards list

Each deck contains 22 cards.

Fire family

• Akuro-Jin no Hi x2
• Enraenra x1
• Onibi x1

Water family

• Kappa x1
• Enko x1
• Kosamebo x1

Earth family

• Onikuma x1
• Daki x1
• Momonji x1

Wood family

• Kodama x2
• Mikari Baba x1
• Bijin Sama x1

Metal family

• Gashadokuro x1
• Nue x1
• Hannya x1

Colorless family

• Gaki x2
• Katakirauwa x1
• Kawauso x1
• Bakeneko x1

---

Transcription notes: the booklet's acknowledgements, translation credit and closing notes are omitted as credits. Minor typographical errors in the printed text have been corrected for readability ("may not used" → "may not be used"; "transfered" → "transferred"; "2 LPs is/ 2 LPs are" and similar agreement fixes).