In-Depth Guide for the Digimon TCG

This video goes more in-depth on many of the effects, timings, and special play methods present in the TCG.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:44 - DNA Digivolution
02:06 - DigiXros
02:54 - Activation Timings
04:58 - "This"/Targeting Effects
05:32 - Suspended/Unsuspended
06:00 - Blocker
06:53 - Security Attack +/-
08:29 - Recover
09:16 - Piercing
09:52 - Draw
10:16 - Jamming
10:41 - Digisorption
11:18 - Reboot
11:24 - De-Digivolve
12:35 - Retaliation
12:56 - Digi-Burst
13:23 - Rush
13:53 - Blitz
14:45 - Delay
15:09 - Decoy
15:43 - Armor Purge
16:46 - Save
17:28 - Material Save
17:59 - Evade
18:14 - Raid
18:55 - Alliance
19:22 - Barrier
19:40 - Blast Digivolve/ACE Overflow
20:26 - Outro
Check out Digimoncard.io for all of your Digimon TCG needs!
► digimoncard.io
Digimon TCG Rules
► world.digimoncard.com/rule/
If you select "Q&A", you can view rulings for specific cards, ordered by set! There's a ton of good information just from all of the various links listed!
I stream over on Twitch! Check it out!
► / shocari
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#digimontcg #digimoncardgame #howtoplay

[@Bookie9477]

Coming from yugioh's nightmare rulings these rules make so much more sense, great vid

[@Shocari]

Yeah most of digimon’s rulings are pretty easy to grasp and especially easy to find the actual ruling for to be able to resolve issues

[@MarkFromTheYoutubeComments]

Ugh... finally a recent video going over ALL of them. I kept finding videos showing how to play digimon in general, not explaining the different digivolving mechanics. Thank you. Please do this again when a new mechanic is released.

[@1TutorialBoss]

Oh thats how barrier works! Thanks man

[@timeslikethese52]

Thank you so much for this just started playing the digimon TCG and i absolutely love it!! Super fun game to play love the memory system! And the no looking through deck is just chef kiss. Great video this really help clarify rulings !!

[@Shocari]

Glad I could help! I hope you continue to enjoy the game! 🫶🏻

[@Sqrtl22]

Great video! I was pretty confused about a lot of the stuff regarding Xros digivolution (Also I only just now learned how it was pronounced thanks to this video), but it was good to see it demonstrated physically.

[@Shocari]

Yeah DigiXros is wild, I despise it lololol

[@JustSpag]

one bit: it's not being lvl 2 that prevents digitama from existing outside of the raising. it's not having a DP state. this is a big part of why the special eggs can do what they do, as not having a DP stat and being a digitama is simply the norm that defines the exceptions.

[@Shocari]

Well the thing is, it's specifically that they are Level 2. The game rules specifically state that a Level 2 digimon can't exist on the field because it has no DP value. Mother D-Reaper and King Drasil, while digitama themselves, are notably not Level 2, and many effects and rulings specifically mention Level 2 Digimon. So using the blanket statement of level 2 digimon is, at this moment, still fully correct until a level 2 digimon that breaks this standard is printed.

[@JustSpag]

@@Shocari huh. weird. I guess I spoke out of turn, then. I thought it was the other way around. my bad.

[@Shocari]

@@JustSpag no like, you’re technically correct. It’s weird because the exceptions to the rule are also not the exceptions because they have they by design don’t fit the criteria to be exempt from. So like if either was level 2 and had everything else the same, that’s how they’d be exceptions, y’know? But by being Level -, they get a whole different set of rules

[@TheYairchemla]

That was the rule but it was changed, now it's only "digimon with 0 or no DP value can't exist in battle area".

[@JustSpag]

@@Shocaricard games are friggin' weird man @_@

[@Lar_Ott]

I'm really glad that you gave a shot at explaining the inner workings of the game, it's a tall task and could be very useful for new players. However, the video explains a lot of rulings and keywords of the game but not exactly why they work like they do. I wish you went into a direction that explained fundamentals of the game which beginning players struggle with, to help them be able to understand most situations by themselves. The biggest one you missed is about effect resolution. While you did mention turn player priority (although a bit incorrectly), you didn't go into trigger priority (aka, the newest triggered effect having activation priority). On that, there was no mention of the difference between triggering and activating, which is really important in digimon. As for what's there, you made smaller and bigger mistakes in the video, the attack process and effect timing was too simplified, and some effects weren't fully explained. I wish all of these and more were mentioned, since it is an in-depth guide. Though I understand trying to cut for time (making videos is a pain and I feel you), it feels like you simplified too much for it. Though I'd love to talk more and help you work through all of it! Don't wanna just sit and be judgemental.

[@Shocari]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by explaining *why* the keywords/rulings work the way they do. I can't say I'm aware of any official source that explains the why, only the how. By "fundamentals" are you referring to just the basics of the game/gameplay? Because I did make a video that went over that. Or are you referring more towards fundamental skills such as digivolving in breeding vs on field, when to swing against security vs a suspended digimon, etc? TBH, anything involving card effects/timings/resolutions/etc for any card game could probably be a multi-hour video essay on its own. I wouldn't dream of trying to actually fully rationalize it alongside anything else in the same video lol That being said, it probably will get its own video at some point just because there's literally that much to cover for that specific topic. For the most part, this was just supposed to be more of like a "hey this is what this does and here's some relevant rulings that will pop up more likely than not" and not like a super advanced in-depth rulings bible. I expected most of the people that would be viewing this would be people that know next-to-nothing regarding the gameplay, so keeping it as simplistic as possible was my goal(even if a few things got a little mixed up along the way) because I just want to bring people into the card game and give them a foundation to start on. If anyone wants really nitty gritty details, I'll happily point them in the right direction, but it's just not something that I myself am trying or looking to provide.

[@alberteinstein2195]

I left this game for a bit to play vanguard and now I’m slowly seeing yugioh all over again

[@Shocari]

Thankfully it’s not nearly enough of a technical nightmare as Yugioh!

[@PioneerBread]

damn good video my guy

[@Shocari]

Thank you! I appreciate it! 🙂

[@seniartkreatif]

i lost you at merely 30 seconds to this vid.

[@Shocari]

Did you watch the How To Play video that was before this one?

[@purge723]

😂 same , but it’s such a good video . I just learn better in person .

[@regularperson5576]

The bug on the digisorption guide be like: "You will never take me alive!!!" Also thank you for making this super useful video.

[@Shocari]

It died VERY shortly thereafter 😂 I hope it was able to be of use!

[@regularperson5576]

@@Shocari yeah man this helps a lot since I'm a new player and am just beginning to learn about these keywords

[@Shocari]

@@regularperson5576 there’s quite a bit more than what I was able to fit into this video since there’s just so many different interactions! I tried to cover as much of it as possible while also condensing similar rulings and simplifying concepts, so some of it might have gotten lost in translation or not been touched upon at all 🥲 The Q&A section in the Rules link in the description *should* be able to answer everything, and there’s even sections for each Booster to provide some answers for individual cards!

[@criticalpoizon]

7:56 is inaccurate. I get what you were trying to say but the wording as it stands isn't correct. If I attack with a Digimon that trashes security when attacking, e.g. [EX2-073] Gallantmon Crimson Mode, while you have more than 0 security but then all security is trashed before the attack resolves, I still win when the attack resolves even though the attack was declared while you had security. Per the official rulings for that card: Q: When the opponent's security is 1 or more, it attacks with this Digimon, and the [When Attacking] effect trashes all of the opponent's security. If the attack is not blocked, can I win the game if it has a net positive security attack? A: Yes, you win the game.

[@Shocari]

You’re absolutely right, I meant to say that it won’t clear purely off of security attack modifiers since there’s plenty of cards that can trash via effect to pave the way forward I had started with the rule book and worked my way out towards the various rulings, so that must have just carried over from the base rules where it keeps the victory conditions as simplistic as possible, and even the more recent official sources still state what I said in the video.

[@Frostnarch]

Hey, great video. I have a doubt about a specific card and I hope you could help me: Can I use the effect of WereGarurumon X-Antibody Ex 5 to trash 2 cards and add a card from the trash even if the Digimon wasn't suspended? The effect says: "Thrash 2 cards to unsuspend this digimon... " Thank you for your response.

[@Shocari]

Yes you can still activate it! Trashing 2 cards is the cost for the effect, so as long as you can activate that, you’re good! After that, the card doesn’t care if Weregarurumon was suspended or not. The next effect, “Then, […]” is able to activate if you trashed the 2 cards for the first effect, as its condition was being able to trash the 2 cards. Similar to how some other cards state “by doing X, do Y”, X is the cost required to activate the effect, even if the effect itself won’t do anything, since the game requires you to resolve as much of the effect as possible, so long as the cost has been met.

[@jadajp1782]

I'm new, it's there a rule that stops a player from attacking security when a non-suspended digimon is in the enemies battle area? Is blocker the only way to protect your security?

[@Shocari]

Blocker is indeed the only way, outside of some kind of “when your opponents digimon attacks” effect that would allow you to delete the digimon or reduce its dp etc. Non-suspended digimon effectively do nothing defensively

[@fighter93pl]

Question about digisorption: So you have to suspend a Digimon before you digivolve. So when the Digimon you digivolve on with a inherited effect like „when you suspend a Digimon by effect draw 1“ does not trigger because there is no Digimon Above that inherited effect at the time where you suspend a digimon ?

[@Shocari]

That is correct! According to the official Q&A for BT10, the digimon is suspended by Digisorption before the digivolution completes, so the inherited effect could not be triggered at that time since it was not given to a Digimon at the moment of suspension

[@weeabooproductions2196]

A question I have here. I just got the double typhoon deck and the mega garoomon has an effect that has both when digivolving and end of attack. Does this mean its effect can be activated after 1 of these or that both of these things need to be fulfilled in order to activate it’s un suspension?

[@Shocari]

It’ll activate once when digivolving, and then each time it finishes attacking!

[@weeabooproductions2196]

Thank you so much

[@PlantmandotEXE]

I hope I get an answer but if not that's fine, if BT8 Blackwargreymon is digivolving and there are tokens or digieggs without play costs available, Mother D-Reaper for example, may I target as many of them as I want for the "Up to 6 cost" targeting requirement or are the exempt because they have no cost to begin with?

[@Shocari]

To my knowledge, almost every token has a play cost given to them for the express purpose of being able to be targeted by certain effects. Mother D-Reaper would be exempt since she doesn’t have a cost though.

[@PlantmandotEXE]

@@Shocari Dang, alright thank you for the reply. I'm brand new to this game and coming from YuGiOh and Magic this game feels almost too straightforward sometimes. That being said I heckin LOVE WarGreymon so this actually came up when playing with a friend, eventhough Mother D-Reaper would have been immune due to it's own protective effect we were not able to find the answer to this question in any FAQ or ruling statement.

[@lukepopham]

Hey what box's are for the jesmon deck I know it's more but I like the fun to pull cards I have bt 10 but are there others

[@Shocari]

Several others. I couldn’t say off the top of my head but if you go to digimoncard.io and go to the card database, you can search each card and it’ll tell you what set they’re from

[@seninhollow5441]

What if de-digivolve - 3 target jogress? Remove 3 top card like normal too?

[@Shocari]

Exactly!

[@vuzyra9211]

dinorex from bt 14 dont allow my opponent to play 6000 or less dp... when he play goldramon or flame hellscyth to set the memory to my side is he allowed to play a digimon or token with this effect?

[@Shocari]

Dinorexmon checks at the instance of play declaration, which is before memory moves. So this will stop them from directly playing a digimon with 6000 DP or less from their hand or digivolving into one from their hand. Playing via effect is different. On play declaration doesn’t check the effect at that time. So if the opponent declares they’re playing either of those cards, the memory will shift first and then Dinorex will check if the opponents memory is 1 or more. If it is, those effects won’t play Digimon(flame hellscythe’s deletion effect still works. Playing a Digimon is an optional effect). If the memory is 0 or less, then those effects do not get prevented.

[@vuzyra9211]

@@Shocari ok ty

[@lukepopham]

Hi so I think I am going to go with a jesmon starter deck. And then go with a box to upgrade it what box would be best for me to get if I am going to buy the jesom starter deck

[@Shocari]

There isn’t really a good answer because most of the good Jesmon support is spread out across multiple different sets, and the same is true for the majority of decks. It would be very difficult to just take a starter deck and a booster box and make something cohesive, 9 times out of 10. It’s why I always recommend just buying the singles of what you want instead

[@lukepopham]

Hey if I buy a starter deck and 1 box what is the best setup I could do like what starter deck and what box?

[@Shocari]

so it definitely depends on the kind of deck you're wanting to build, for sure! based on the different decks and sets, at the current moment I don't think there's any 1+1 combination of them that would lead to anything super solid tbh! The most cohesive would probably just be 2 copies of ST14 - advanced starter deck Beelzemon! If you're willing to wait, ST-17 Double Typhoon comes out March 8, and that + EX04 - Alternative Being would make a very, very solid foundation for an Alliance deck, with all the cards you need from EX04 being common! That being said, you could build a fully competitive-ready deck for most archetypes for $70-80, which is going to be price of 1 booster box(more or less) anyway, so that's honestly what I would do!

[@lukepopham]

@Shocari so get ex 04 and wait for the other one and those 2 box's will let me make a solid deck

[@Shocari]

@@lukepopham that's if that deck is something that you think you might like! again, you could guaranteed build a full deck for like $70-80, whereas you could buy like multiple booster boxes and not be able to build anything based on what you pulled! Which is just a generic TCG problem really

[@MakaiKishiZero]

Some of the rules you said don't match up with other rules from other KZbinrs. I'd double check to see how accurate you are if I was you.

[@Shocari]

Were there any ones in particular? I might have explained one or two wrong, but I had the official rules and FAQs pulled up as I was writing this as well as having those linked so others could double check on their own

[@MakaiKishiZero]

@@Shocari 2 off the top of my head: I saw multiple videos saying that there was no mulligans and a few saying that if you run out of cards then you lose. Both you stated the opposite. But idk, maybe you have the newer rules?

[@Shocari]

@@MakaiKishiZero you get one mulligan per game. world.digimoncard.com/rule/pdf/manual.pdf page 5, “setting up the game”, section 4. Mulligans were added last year or maybe the year before. Perhaps the videos you saw were from before that? If you cannot draw a card at the start of your turn, you lose. This was stated in the previous video, “how to play the Digimon tcg 2024”! I believe in this video I said that you can’t lose if you would activate an effect that makes you draw cards but are unable to, which is true. Pokémon has the same rule. The game only cares if you can’t draw as part of the natural phase of the turn. Same link as above, page 12c “ending the game”.