Bakugan Wiki:Rulebook

The content on this page comes from the official Bakugan Rulebook news post. The reason for the creation of this page is to add a linkable Table of Contents. All text on this page below the following line, comes from bakugan.com.

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Hey Brawlers! The rules in this document are intended for advanced players seeking to further understand the details of how the Bakugan Battle Planet Trading Card Game (TCG) works. It's great to reference for any questions you may have, but it's not a quick and easy read. Please see the rulebook included in the Starter Pack to get brawling right away! BAKUGAN BRAWL!

Game Concepts (Section 1)

General

• The following rules apply to the full version of the Bakugan game consisting of two players.

• For multiplayer rules, see section 8.

• For cardless rules, see section 9.

• Before playing, each player is required to have three Bakugan toys along with their Character cards, six BakuCores, and a deck consisting of exactly 40 cards.

• • A player’s BakuCores must match the six BakuCore indicators on their Bakugan Character cards.

Deck Construction

• Decks may contain no more than three copies of each card, identified by the card name and card set.

• Players may not include cards in their deck that do not share a Faction with at least one Bakugan on their team.

• Players must use BakuCores that match the symbols indicated on the BakuCore indicator.

The Ultimate Rules

• Cards can contradict the basic rules of the game. In the case that this happens, follow the text on the card.

• The word “can’t” overrides any cards or effects that would otherwise happen.

• Cards complete in the order that their text reads, from top to bottom.

• If a card has an effect that can’t be completed, that part of the card is ignored. Continue completing any additional text on the card.

• In the case that a player has multiple effects that occur at the same time, that player chooses the order for those effects to happen.

Starting the Game

• Each player puts their three Character cards face down in front of them and places the corresponding, rolled up, Bakugan on top of the appropriate character card.

• Randomly determine a player to be the starting player (see rule 7.5).

• Beginning with the starting player, each player takes turns placing their six BakuCores in the center of the play area, starting equidistant from each player, one at a time.

• • Each BakuCore, after the first, must be placed with at least one side completely touching another BakuCore.

• Each player shuffles their own deck and then gives it to their opponent who may also choose to shuffle or cut, then each player draws five cards from their own deck.

Ending the Game

• When a player would be dealt any damage and there are no cards remaining in their deck, they lose the game.

Factions

• There are six Factions in Bakugan: Aquos, Aurelus, Darkus, Haos, Pyrus, and Ventus.

Energy

• Energy is the fundamental resource used to play cards and generate effects.

• • The primary way to create Energy is by uncharging Energy cards (see rule 7.2.2.).
    • Players may not uncharge an Energy card to produce Energy unless they need it to play a card.

• • Players may spend any Energy they produce throughout the turn, but any unspent Energy disappears at the end of the turn.

Numbers

• Additive (+) numbers add to the total of whatever the player is counting.

• • Negative (-) numbers subtract from the total of whatever it is the player is counting.
    • If a Bakugan Damage Rating becomes negative, it is treated as 0 when counting damage and does not subtract from a Team Attack (see rule 5.12).

• • The letter X will appear on some cards. This is a variable and can have different values throughout the game.
    • While a card with an X in the cost is in your hand, deck, discard pile, or in play, the X counts as zero.
    • While a card with an X in the cost is in the batch (see rule 4.4), the X counts as whatever amount of energy was spent to pay X.

Symbols

• Symbols are used to represent some of the basic elements of the game.

• • Faction (see rule 1.5) icons are symbols that represent the different Factions of Bakugan there are. These symbols are Haos, Ventus, Aquos, Pyrus, Darkus, and Aurelus.

• • Keyword icons are symbols that indicate a particular Keyword. These symbols are FrostStrike, DoubleStrike, and ShadowStrike.

Cards

• Before a game starts, there are two places cards may appear: In a player’s deck and in a player’s Bakugan Character card zone. Only Bakugan Character cards can be found in the Bakugan Character card zone at the start of the game and are not to be shuffled into a player’s deck.

Bakugan

• During a game, the Bakugan toy and the Character card that it comes with both represent the same Bakugan. The toy is the object used for rolling and playing the game, while the Character Card contains all the attributes and abilities of the Bakugan toy.

BakuCores

• BakuCores are hexagon shaped discs that have two sides: a top side and a bottom side. On the top side there is only an icon identifier, while the bottom side will have modifying abilities that will interact with the Bakugan that pick the BakuCores up.

Making Selections

• There are cards and abilities that will require their controller to make a selection. If a card or ability needs a selection, that selection must be made before the card can be played. If there are no selections available for that card or ability, the card cannot be played.

• • In the instance that a selection is no longer valid after a card or ability has been played, the card attempts to complete as much of its text as possible.

• • Cards that affect Bakugan, but do not explicitly call out for a selection, can apply to any face-up Bakugan.

Priority and Timing

• 1.14.1. At the start of each turn, the player who won the most recent Brawl becomes the starting player.

• • 1.14.1.1. The player who placed the final BakuCore during the game’s initial setup is the starting player on the first turn of the game.

• 1.14.2. When a player has priority, they may choose to play cards and use abilities. If they choose not to add to the batch (see rule 4.4), the most recent card or ability added to the batch completes.

• • 1.14.2.1. Once a card or ability completes, priority is returned to the starting player.

• 1.14.3. After the starting player makes any gameplay decisions, the non-starting player gets an opportunity to make theirs. This continues until each player decides to make no further game actions in sequential order.

• 1.14.4. Once a card or ability is played, that player retains priority. That player may continue to play additional cards or abilities before the opponent has a chance to act. Once the player with priority decides that they don’t have more to add to the batch (see rule 4.4), the other player is given priority.

• 1.14.5. While a card is completing and some parts of the card have taken effect, no players have priority. The card being played must finish its effects before the starting player gets priority again.

• 1.14.6. When there are no cards or abilities played and neither player adds to the batch (see rule 4.4), play continues to the next step.

Costs

• 1.15.1. A cost is any payment associated with using an ability or playing a card. Most costs are made in the form of Energy at the top right of a card, but there are also other costs that can modify a card. If there is an additional cost to pay when playing a card, it must be paid at the time the card or ability is being used, or else it is decided that the additional cost was not paid.

Damage

• 1.16.1. Dealing damage primarily comes from the Damage Rating of Bakugan Character Cards, but there are additional effects that can deal damage as well. When damage is being dealt, whatever initiated the damage is called the damage origin.

• 1.16.2. When taking damage, the player being dealt damage flips that many cards from the top of their deck, one at a time, and places them into their discard pile.

Drawing a Card

• 1.17.1. Players draw cards by taking the top card of their deck and putting it into their hand. Once per turn, this is a game action that takes place during the Start Phase (see rule 5.2), but there are also other effects that can cause a player to draw a card.

• 1.17.2. If there are no cards remaining in a player’s deck when they are directed to draw a card, the player skips that draw.

Parts of a Card (Section 2)

General

• 2.1.1. The parts of a card are the name, energy cost, type line, Faction, set indicator, text, art, B-Power, Damage Rating, BakuCore indicator, legal text, collection number. Some cards may have multiple or all of these traits. These parts are identified by holding the card vertically, but in the case of a Flip card, the card will need to be rotated horizontally.

Name

• 2.2.1. The name of a card is on the upper left corner.

Energy Cost

• 2.3.1. A card’s energy cost is listed in the top right corner.

• • 2.3.1.1. The energy cost of a card indicates what a player must spend from their energy pool to play a card.

• 2.3.2. Any additional cost listed on a card isn’t a part of the energy cost.

• 2.3.3. If an effect allows for a card to be played for “free”, it means that the energy cost is zero. [2]

Type Line

• 2.4.1. The type line is located directly below the Art. It conveys the card’s card type(s) and Faction(s).

• 2.4.2. Card Types

• • 2.4.2.1. The card types are Action, Hero, Flip, Evo and Character.

Faction

• 2.5.1. A card is the Faction or Factions indicated by the Faction icons listed on the type line.

• • 2.5.1.1. The six Factions are Aquos, Darkus, Haos, Pyrus, Ventus, and Aurelus.

• • 2.5.1.2. A card with two or more Faction symbols is considered both Factions.

• 2.5.1.3. Effects may change a card’s Faction.

Set Indicator

• 2.6.1. The set indicator conveys which card set a card was printed in. It is located on the bottom right corner.

Text

• 2.7.1. The text is printed on the lower half of a card.

• 2.7.2. A card’s text box may include italicized text, called flavor text, which has no game function.

Art

• 2.8.1. The art is found on the top half of the card.

B-Power

• 2.9.1. Character and Evo cards have a B-Power number listed on the left side of the card, under the Art. It is indicated by a number followed by the B-Power symbol (BP).

• 2.9.2. If a Character or Evo card has a B--Power value of zero or lower, it is considered to be zero.

• 2.9.3. If an effect sets a Character or Evo's B-Power to a specific value, it refers to a card's "base (BP)".

Damage Rating

• 2.10.1. Character and Evo cards have a Damage Rating number listed on the right side of the card, under the Art. It is indicated by a number followed by the Damage Rating symbol (DR).

• 2.10.2. If a Character or Evo card has a Damage Rating value of zero or lower, it is considered to be zero.

• 2.10.3. Effects that set a Character or Evo's Damage Rating to a specific value, it refers to a card's "base (DR)".

BakuCore Indicator

• 2.11.1. Character cards have a BakuCore indicator listed on the top right of a card. It is indicated by two hex shaped icons with a symbol inside the icons.

• 2.11.2. Players must use BakuCores that match the symbols indicated on the BakuCore indicator.

Art Credit

• 2.12.1. The art credit, when applicable, is listed on the bottom left of a card. It has no game function.

Legal Text

• 2.13.1. The legal text lists the trademark and the copyright information. It is listed after the art credit and has no game function.

Collection Number

• 2.14.1. The collection number is on the bottom right of a card. It has no game function. It is shown in the form of [card number]/[total cards in the set].

Card Types (Section 3)

General

• 3.1.1. The different card types are Character, Evo, Hero, Action, Flip, and Energy cards.

Character Cards

• 3.2.1. The only cards that are not to be shuffled into a player’s deck are Character Cards. These cards provide specific details about the Bakugan that players roll during the game. Character cards begin the game face down.

Evo Cards

• 3.3.1. Evo cards may only be played on a Character card that matches in name and Faction.

• 3.3.2. When an Evo card is played, it is placed on top of the Character Card of the appropriate Bakugan that player controls. If the Character Card was face down when the Evo card is played, first flip the Character Card face up, then play the Evo card on top of it.

• 3.3.3. Only the top-most Evo card’s stats and abilities are counted for a Bakugan. Evo card's stats and abilities replace the underneath Character card’s stats and abilities.

Hero Cards

• 3.4.1. At any point that a player has priority, that player may cast a Hero card.

• 3.4.2. When a Hero card is played, place it in front of you on the play area. Hero cards remain in play until otherwise directed by a card or destroy effect.

Action Cards

• 3.5.1. At any point that a player has priority, that player may cast an Action card.

• 3.5.2. When an Action card is played, follow the text on the card, and then put it into your discard pile. If part of the card can’t be completed, that part of the card is ignored.

• 3.5.3. Action cards have an effect that only last throughout the turn. At the End phase, Bakugan revert to their original states.

Flip Cards

• 3.6.1. Players may only play Flip cards when they are flipped from the top of their deck due to damage being dealt. If a player is dealt damage and flips a Flip Card, that player chooses whether or not to play that card before any other player gets an opportunity to play any cards and before any remaining damage is dealt.

• 3.6.2. If a Flip Card is played during the Damage Phase, players may add to the batch (see rule 4.4) by following normal priority rules (see rule 1.13).

Energy Cards

• 3.7.1. During the Energize step (see rule 5.4) each player is given the opportunity to Energize (see rule 7.2.4) a card from their hand.

• 3.7.2. Energy cards have the card type Energy card while in play, but have their printed card type while in any other zone.

• 3.7.3. Players can no longer look at the text side of a card once it has been Energized.

Zones (Section 4)

General

• 4.1.1. A zone is any place a game piece can be during the game. There are six different zones: deck, hand, batch, discard pile, play area, and BakuCore Field.

• 4.1.2. Cards in decks and in the batch cannot change order during the game. In addition, BakuCores on the BakuCore Field may not be rearranged unless the rules (see rule 4.7) require it. Other zones may be arranged and rearranged at their controller's preference, as long as their opponent is made aware of the changes being made.

• 4.1.3. When a card moves zones, that card returns to its written text. Modifications to cards do not carry over from one zone to another.

Deck

• 4.2.1. A player’s deck must consist of exactly 40 cards that share Factions with the Bakugan on that player’s team. There can be no more than three copies of any card in a deck.

• 4.2.2. Each player’s deck must remain in a single face down pile. Players may not look at the cards in either player's deck, nor change the order of their contents during a game.

• 4.2.3. Players are allowed to ask for the remaining number of cards in the opponent's deck at any time. When a player is asked, they are allowed to pick up their deck and count it face down.

Hand

• 4.3.1. A player's hand is where that player keeps cards that they have drawn throughout the game. There are additional effects that have the ability to put cards into a player's hand as well. A player may look at the cards in their hand at any time, but those cards remain hidden from their opponent's. At the start of the game, each player draws a hand of five cards.

• 4.3.2. Players are not allowed to have more than seven cards in their hand at the end of each turn. If a player does have more than seven cards at the end of a turn, that player must choose seven to keep, then discard the rest.

• 4.3.3. Players are allowed to ask for the number of cards in the opponent's hand at any time. When a player is asked, they must count their hand and tell the opponent the appropriate number.

Batch

• 4.4.1. When a card is played, that card enters the batch and when an ability is activated, that ability enters the batch.

• 4.4.2. In some cases, multiple effects may enter the batch at the same time. When two or more of these effects are controlled by a single player, that player may choose the ordering of their effects. In the case that some effects are controlled by different players, the starting player’s effects will enter the batch first, followed by the end of the batch going to the non-starting player’s effects.

• 4.4.3. Once both players pass priority and don’t add to the batch, the card or ability at the end of the batch resolves. Repeat this for each card or ability on the batch using priority rules (see rule 1.14).

• • 4.4.3.1. The end of the batch is the most recent card or ability played.

• 4.4.4. Some effects in the game do not add to the batch.

• • 4.4.4.1. Uncharging Energy cards to gain energy does not use the batch. If a player uncharges an Energy card, that player retains priority until they play a card or use an ability.

• • 4.4.4.2. BakuCores do not use the batch. If a BakuCore has an effect that will modify a Bakugan, that effect takes place immediately and cannot be responded to.

• • 4.4.4.3. Some Bakugan have textbox abilities that are affected by BakuCores. These abilities do not use the batch.

• • 4.4.4.4. Players may choose to forfeit at any time. Forfeiting a game does not use the batch.

Discard Pile

• 4.5.1. A player's discard pile is a combination of any cards that player has discarded, sacrificed, destroyed, or had negated. In addition, Action and Flip cards that have been played that game, and any damage that had been dealt to that player also go to that player's discard pile. Cards with effects that activate when a card is discarded only activate when cards are discarded through the effect of another card, such as a Sacrifice. In the event that multiple cards are discarded, each card is treated as an individual discard event.

• 4.5.2. The discard pile is a single face up pile that may be viewed and rearranged by any players.

Play Arena

• 4.6.1. The play area is a combination of cards that stay in play from turn to turn. These cards consist of Character cards, Evo’s, Heroes, and Energy cards.

• 4.6.2. Cards in the play area do not go to the discard pile after they are used.

• 4.6.3. Cards in the play area that have the same card type must stay near other cards that share that card type and must remain visible.

BakuCore Field

• 4.7.1. Before a game starts, players will take turns placing BakuCores in the center of the play area in order to create a BakuCore Field. This is the zone that the Bakugan toys will be rolled towards in order to open and gain special abilities.

• 4.7.2. At all times there must be a clear path from a player to the BakuCore field with no cards in between.

• 4.7.3. When a BakuCore is placed, at least one side of that BakuCore must touch and be parallel with a side with another BakuCore on the BakuCore Field. If multiple BakuCores are being placed at the same time, the player placing them does so one at a time, in any order they choose.

Turn Structure (Section 5)

General

• 5.1.1. Each turn consists of the following four phases: Start Phase, Roll Phase, Brawl Phase, and End Phase. Each of these four phases are separated into additional steps.

• 5.1.2. Following priority rules (see rule 1.14), each phase is taken simultaneously by both players.

• 5.1.3. A phase can only end when both players have passed, in succession, with no cards or abilities remaining to be completed. Once a card or ability is completed, both players gain the opportunity to play additional cards and abilities during that phase.

• 5.1.4. Between each phase of the turn, no additional events can take place. The same is true for between turns.

Start Phase

• 5.2.1. The Start Phase consists of two steps: the Draw step and the Energize step. During this phase, players cannot play cards or use abilities.

• 5.2.2. The starting player is determined during the start phase.

Draw Phase

• 5.3.1. The first thing that happens in the Start Phase is each player simultaneously draws a card from their deck and puts it into their hand.

Energize Step

• 5.4.1. Starting with the starting player, both players are given the opportunity to Energize a card from their hand.

• 5.4.2. Once a player makes a decision to Energize a card or not, they will not get another opportunity to Energize a card during this step.

Roll Phase

• 5.5.1. The Roll Phase consists of two steps: the Selection Step and the Roll Step.

Selection Step

• 5.6.1. Starting with the Starting player, each player chooses an unopened Bakugan to roll and places it in front of them.

• 5.6.2. Players may play cards after selection and before the Roll Step.

Rolling Step

• 5.7.1. Prior to rolling the selected Bakugan, each player simultaneously says “Bakugan Brawl!” (or another agreed upon way to release simultaneously) and rolls their Bakugan towards the BakuCore Field.

• • 5.7.1.1. Bakugan can either be rolled end over end, slid or spun forward.

• • 5.7.1.2. Bakugan must be released within two vertical card lengths from the edge of the table closest to the player rolling it.

• • 5.7.1.3. Bakugan cannot be bounced or dropped onto or into the play area; it must stay on the play area surface.

• • 5.7.1.4. Bakugan must come into contact with a BakuCore in order for an open to count.

• • • 5.7.1.4.1. Contact with only the table, another Bakugan, card or other non-BakuCore element of the playing area counts as a non-open.

• 5.7.2. Each player that opens a rolled Bakugan reveals the corresponding face down Bakugan Character card and moves to the Brawl Phase.

• • 5.7.2.1. If neither Bakugan opened, start over from the beginning of the Roll Step.

• • 5.7.2.2. If both Bakugan opened and are attached to the same BakuCore, both Characters get the BakuCore bonus.

• • 5.7.2.3. If a Bakugan opens from contact with a BakuCore but does not stay attached to the BakuCore, the Bakugan is considered open but doesn’t receive the bonus from the BakuCore.