Yu Yu Hakusho CCG Prelude: Rules

Here's a look at the Official Play-Mat for the Yu Yu CCG:

These rules are taken from the play-mat included with the demo packs, and are not all inclusive. The Demo rules are designed to give you a feel for the basics of the game and show you how to use the cards included with the demo pack. They are not by any means the complete rules for the game.

Side One:
Humankind's fate hangs on this match!  Team Urameshi leads 2 to 1.  Kurama whipped Kuroda in round 1, Kuwabara lost by getting knocked out of the ring in round 2, and Hiei sliced, diced, and fried Chinopoh into gooey goodness!  Yusuke and Rando are already wounded!  It's brutal!  I love it!

Let's fight on!  The first team that wins 3 matches is
victorious!

Choose now!  Who plays Yusuke and who plays Rando?

Have you chosen?  Good!  Now divide your decks by
using the deck-list card.

Give Yusuke his deck and Rando his.  Now set them aside, but don't look at them yet!  There are some things you need to know before the fight explodes.

Let's Talk Basics!
There are 3 steps an attacker goes through in a turn. The defender does NOT act in these 3 steps.  Who is the attacker?  The attacker is the player whose turn it is for all 3 steps.  The defender is the player that is being attacked.

Step 1. Draw
In this step, you draw 2 cards off the top of your Deck, and then you gain 2 Spirit Energy.  What's Spirit Energy?  That's the power you need to throw the big stuff.  You'll see.

Step 2. Main
This is the step where you prepare to attack.  You pick up (attach) items, learn (attach) techniques, and unleash (play) events.  You can also put a character into your 5th Match slot.  You "attach" cards by placing them face-up in the correct area of the Arena: items in the "Item" area and Techniques in the "Tech" area.
(Kinak's Note: I mislabeled the Techniques in the
card list as Attacks.  Many apologies.)

Step 3. Attack
You can use one attack per turn.  When you attack, compare the total Attack Value of the attack you use with the total Defense Value of the defender.

If the ATK meets or exceeds the DEF then it deals
damage.

How about an Example?
Rando has a total attack value of 4000.  ATK2000 attack + ATK1000 modifier from a Technique + ATK1000 from an Event.  Since Yusuke's DEF is 4000, he takes damage!  Why?  Because Rando's ATK was equal to or greater than Yusuke's DEF.  (Kinak's Note: Rando is using Psychic Mimic.  Techniques don't usually add to other attack's damage)

How much damage does Yusuke take?
One point of damage.  Why?  Because most attacks due one damage.  (Kinak's Note: They do double damage if the ATK is twice or more the DEF) How do you show damage?  Turn the damaged character's card 90 degrees clockwise for each point of damage, like so...(picture)

When a character has taken 4 or more damage he is
defeated!

Get to know your cards Here is an introduction to the 4 card types of the Yu Yu Hakusho TCG.  Take a moment to look and see what they do.  Then flip this sheet over and throw down with the cards themselves.

Character Cards
Character Cards represent your team members during the game.  Normally, you start off with 4 characters in play at the beginning of the game and may add a 5th character from your hand later.

Team Symbol
Shows which Team your character can join to get a team bonus.  (Kinak's Note: No examples of team bonuses are provided)

Defense Value
How much can you take?  You refer to this when you are attacked.

Attack Cost
This is the cost in cards cards you discard from your hand to perform the attack.  

Attack Value
This is how strong your attack is compared to your opponent's Defense Value.

Attack Name
Hero Symbol
Character Name
(Kinak's Note: These headings have no text, they're
just indicated on the sample card)

Paying Spirit Energy
If a card requires you to spend Spirit Energy to play it, you will find the cost represented by these icons. Each icon equals 1 Spirit Energy.  Spend the Spirit Energy cost by moving your token down your Spirit Energy Tracker and the card can be played.

Events
Events are proof that fights are more than just brawling!  They are played directly out of your hand and their effects occur when they are played.  After you play an event, you put it in your discard pile.

Events are played in the Main Step.  Often their effects last longer than the steps they were played in.

Techniques
Techniques are extra attacks you can use when you want more pummeling options.

Items
Why use just a fist and Spirit Energy when you can use a weapon?  Items make attacks stronger and do crazy things in combat!  Items are attached to characters in the Main Step, but may be used in other steps depending on their power.

Side Two:
First verify that the cards are in the right order by using the deck-list card that is in the demo pack. Done that?  Good.

Place both Rando and Yusuke's Decks on their sides of the play-mat face-up.  Why face-up?  Because face-up Decks make it easier to see what's coming.  You should be able to see both Yusuke's and Rando's character cards on top of their respective Decks.  Normally, you play with your decks face-down.

Now Rando and Yusuke place their tokens at 0 on their Spirit Energy trackers to show their current Spirit Energy.

Rando takes the character card from the top of his deck and places his character card in the Arena as indicated. Yusuke does the same thing.

Since both these fighters have already taken two points of damage in this fight, turn their characters 90 degrees to the right 2 times.  Important: Each time your character takes a point of damage turn your character card 90 degrees.

This match has been raging for awhile, so Rando and Yusuke already have 2 cards in their hands.  To get those cards in your hands, have Rando draw the top 2 cards of his deck Kazamaru and Fervor of Fury, and have Yusuke draw the top 2 cards of his Deck: Spirit Gun Double and Combat Knives.

"It's time to fight!  It's Rando's turn because Yusuke just finished his attack!"

Rando will go through the 3 steps which make up his turn.  After Rando's 3 steps are over, it becomes Yusuke's turn.

Step 1. Draw
Its Rando's Draw Step.  To get ready for the fight ahead, Rando draws 2 cards from the top of his deck: Desperate Temper and Ultimate Test.  Afterwards, he gains 2 Spirit Energy by moving his token from 0 to 2!

Step 2. Main
Now Rando goes through his Main Step - a step where he can do a number of different actions.  Rando can attach items and techniques to his character or play an event from his hand.  He can also put his 5th character in play in his 5th match slot.

"Rando shows he's not going down!  He has Kazamaru enter his 5th Match Slot for when he finishes off Yusuke!  What intimidation!"

Put Kazamaru from Rando's hand into his 5th Match Slot that is on this play-mat.  

Rando now attaches Desperate Temper by playing it from his hand into his space marked "Tech" on the play-mat.

"A surprise event!  Rando has just increased his strength by taking advantage of the event Fervor of Fury!"

Rando plays Fervor of Fury from his hand an now all his attacks hit harder!  How much?  

All Rando's attacks gain +1000 and his defense value gains +1000 as well.

Rando then places Fervor of Fury into his discard pile next to the play-mat.

Step 3. Attack
Rando decides not to use the Desperate Temper technique and he chooses the attack Psychic Mimic on his character card because its stronger!

Since attacks take effort, Rando must discard 1 card from his hand to pay for the Psychic Mimi attack cost of 1 and puts Ultimate Test into his Discard Pile to pay for it.

The effect of his attack boosts the damage Rando can deal even more!  Why?  Because Rando's attack gains +ATK 1000 because he has a technique attached to him! Rando attacks!

The attack hits Yusuke with ATK4000!  How did Rando get ATK4000?  Rando's attack Psychic Mimic does ATK2000; and it gains another +ATK1000 because Rando played the event Fervor of Fury; and finally Psychic Mimic states that his attack gains +ATK1000 for having a technique attached to him - which is Desperate Temper.  The effect on Psychic Mimic happens before the attack occurs, making Psychic Mimic bash Yusuke with greater impact!

Yusuke takes damage because his DEF is 4000.  Remember if the ATK equals or exceeds the DEF, the attack deals damage.  Yusuke turns his card to the right 90 degrees. Yusuke is now at 3 damage!

One more and he's history!

Its Yusuke's Turn!

Step 1. Draw
After that last attack, Yusuke needs to get it together!  Its now Yusuke's Draw Step.  Yusuke draws two cards: Abnormal Endurance and Pocket Communicator. He gains 2 Spirit Energy by moving up his token from 0 to 2!  Now he has the power to his back!

Step 2. Main
Our hero needs to increase his overall Attack Value in order to do more damage to Rando.  Yusuke attaches Combat Knives from his hand into his space marked Item.  Yusuke's attacks are now +ATK1000.

Yusuke knows he needs to throw something amazing to take Rando out of the match.  Yusuke attaches his technique Spirit Gun Double by placing it in his area of the Arena marked Tech.

Step 3. Attack
Yusuke decides to use the attack from his attached Technique rather than using the one on his character card, because Spirit Gun Double is the strongest attack he can wield.

Yusuke pays the cost of the attack of 2 cards by discarding the remaining 2 cards in his hand: Pocket Communicator and Abnormal Endurance into his Discard Pile to the left of the play-mat.

But the base attack is not enough to finish Rando. But look!  Through the effect of the Spirit Gun Double, Yusuke can turbo-charge this attack by +ATK3000.

Yusuke unleashes all his Spirit Energy to gain the power!  By moving his Spirit Energy token down from 2 to 0.  Now he attacks with Spirit Gun Double and it does double damage.

Why double the damage?  Because Yusuke's total Attack Value is ATK8000 = 2x DEF4000 and when the attack's ATK is 2 or more times the defending characters DEF, the attack does 2 damage instead of one!

Rando takes the full blast and turns his card 90 degrees for the first point of damage and 90 degrees again for the second.  Rando now loses the match because he has 4 damage.

"Rando is finished!  Team Urameshi wins!"

Congratulations, you won your first fight!