Stronger cards usually have a higher Power and Grade than weaker cards, but they cannot be played until later in the game. Balance the unit grades in your deck so you have 17 Grade 0 and about 15 Grade 1, 10 Grade 2, and 8 Grade 3 units(And for Original series, up to 16 G units). Note that a deck must have exactly 50 cards(Excluding the deck in the G zone), 16 of which must be Trigger Units(Refer to Part 1 Step 6 for more).
The boost skill has an arrow pointing up and means the unit can be used to boost the power of another unit that’s attacking. This is an optional skill during your Battle Phase. The intercept skill resembling a checkmark and allows the unit in play to guard an incoming attack. This is an optional skill, and is only usable during your opponent’s Battle Phase. The twin drive and triple drive skills resembling interweaving arrows means you perform that many drive checks during a battle(Refer to Part 4 Step 2 for more). This is a compulsory skill.
Many abilities only affect certain zones on the playmat and require a cost, such as discarding cards from the top of your deck or from your hand, or sending units to the drop zone. Abilities labeled ACT can be activated during your Main Phase for any number of times – as long as you pay the cost each time. Abilities labeled AUTO triggers automatically once the conditions listed on the card are met. For units with a CONT ability, the ability is active as long as the card stays in play. Some CONT abilities require certain conditions to activate.
As of February 2019, there are 24 different clans, 6 different nations and 69 unique and shared races. Each clan has a unique play mechanic as well as their own strengths and weaknesses.
Critical triggers allow you to choose a card and increase the damage it deals by 1. Draw triggers(引) lets you draw 1 card from your deck and add it to your hand. Stand triggers(醒) lets you stand a rear-guard, but it cannot perform drive checks for the rest of the turn. Front triggers(前) give all units in the front row on your side of your field an additional 10,000 power. Heal triggers(治) allows you to remove 1 damage from your damage zone if you have more or equal damage cards than your opponent. Up to four Heal triggers can be placed in a deck. Over triggers(超) remove themselves from the game and apply several effects when revealed for checks. When revealed as a damage check, you draw one card and choose one unit to gain 100 million Power. If revealed during your drive check, perform the above and activate it’s additional effect. Only one Over trigger can be placed in a deck.
The drop zone on the bottom right side of the playmat is where your cards are placed when they’ve been defeated/retired in battle or discarded for certain effects. The damage zone is where you’ll stack your damage cards when your vanguard is attacked and receives damage. The top left of the playmat is the G zone, where you can keep up to 16 G units(Formerly 8), stronger units that you can access later in the game. Units in the G zone are separate from the units in your deck. Place any G units there face down at the start of the game. The trigger zone is directly above your deck and is used during drive checks. Everything except for your deck, hand, and the cards in your G zone is public information.
Don’t reveal your vanguard right away since it may affect your opponent’s strategy when drawing cards.
You will not have to stand any cards during the first turn, but Stand Phase will still be declared. Some units might have an ability that triggers at the beginning of your turn. If so, you can choose to activate them if you want so long as the cost can be paid.
Choose to activate any unit abilities that occur at the beginning of the Ride Phase or when a card rides. The cards underneath your vanguard are referred to as your vanguard’s soul, which can be used for Soul Blast(SB) by sending that many number of souls to the Drop Zone. You may choose to ride or skip the phase.
This part is known as the Main Phase of your turn. You may activate any abilities that occur during the Main Phase or when a card is played on a rear-guard zone. If you play a unit on a rear-guard zone that already has a unit, put the unit that was there into your drop zone.
You can choose to activate any unit abilities that triggers during Battle Phase or when a card attacks. You cannot initiate battle during the first turn of the game. You can attack multiple times as long as you still have standing units in the front row. You may choose to end your Battle Phase early even if you can still attack, which ends your turn and passes it to your opponent.
You may choose to activate any abilities that trigger during the drive check. If your vanguard has a twin drive or triple drive skill indicated below its grade, then it must perform 2 or 3 drive checks respectively. Trigger effects must be resolved first before performing the remaining drive checks.
You can trigger any ability that activates during battle. Such examples are when the unit attacks, the attack hits, at the end of that battle, or at the start of the damage step.
Activate any effects that occur during a damage check. If the card revealed during a damage check has an AUTO effect that occurs during the damage check, then the ability is activated before the card goes in the damage zone.
Rested cards can be used again after your next Stand phase. You can still use the ability of a resting unit as long as the cost is paid, but only during your Main Phase(Unless stated by the ability otherwise).
You may also use any units in rear-guard circles that have the intercept skill indicated below their Grade to guard. This is usable only if the intercept unit is in your front row and is not targeted by the attack.
You can only boost power during your own turn.
When your turn is over, the G unit is placed back in the G zone face up. Face up G units cannot be chosen to be stride for the rest of the game(Unless stated by an ability otherwise). Units in your G zone are separate from your deck.
