. The first series was released in March 2007.
There are a total of eight series, with each set containing approximately 100 cards. An additional set with Tarot cards designed by Hirohiko Araki was also released.
Game Setup
- After placing the play sheets down so the middle stages are matching, place your Hero Card face-down under the #13 ("XIII") on the Life Gauge. Hand your deck of cards to your opponent and shuffle them. Then, hand them back.
- Draw 6 cards to form your 'hand'.
- Play "rock-paper-scissors" to see who goes first.
- Flip your Hero card face-up under the #13 on the Life Gauge.
Turn Phases
There are 7 phases that each player must go through in order.
Reset Phase
This phase is only after your first turn. During this phase, you will flip face-up the lineage cards that you flipped face-down last turn. Also, any of your "exhausted" cards will be turned facing upwards (inexhausted).
Hand Refresh Phase
During this phase, you will add 1-2 cards to your hand. If, at the end of your turn, you have more than 7 cards, you must discard until you get 6. The player who starts the game first does not draw any cards. This is because you go first and it makes things a bit more even.
Lineage Phase
From your hand, choose one character card and place it to the far left side of your lineage area. This character will never battle. If placed in your lineage area, it only gives points to pay for characters for the battlefield area. So choose wisely. You may only place one lineage card a turn. When placing additional lineage cards in other turns, they are placed to the right of the last lineage card played. When paying for a character card, you use the lineage cards in order from left to right.
Stage Phase
Once the price is paid for the card, a stage may be placed in one of the stage areas. The stage areas are where battles will be fought. The first stage played from someone's hand must be played in the center stage area. Others may then be placed to the right or left of the first one. There are 3 stage areas. If all 3 areas are occupied by stage cards and you wish to play a 4th stage card, then you must choose one stage and discard that card (it goes in the owning person's discard pile) to replace it with yours. A card placed in any stage area takes effect immediately.
Battle Phase
Your characters attack your opponent in the battle phase.
Stand Attachment
At the start of the battle phase, a character that's on the battlefield may receive a Stand from your hand. Once you pay the attachment cost, you place the Stand under the character card (that's on the battlefield). During your opponent's battle phase, you may also put out a Stand. After they do so, you can pay the cost and attach a Stand to one of your characters.
Only one character may have a Stand attached to them at a time, and only one stand of a card number can be out at a time.
Attacking
During your turn, you may attack 1 stage area. Your characters attack your opponents through the stages.
Using Special Abilities
During the battle phase, characters can use their special abilities. Action type (◆/▲/▼) and void type (★) abilities (attackers and blockers) may now be used. They cause the character using the ability to "exhaust" and turn sideways. Ordinary type (◎) special abilities (during attacking and blocking) exhausts the character using the effect.
When action type special abilities are used, that character is exhausted. After a character is exhausted, when void type is used, that character is discarded.
Using Stand Powers
Action type (◆/▲/▼) Stand abilities and void type (★) Stand abilities (attackers and blockers) cause the character using the ability to "exhaust" and turn sideways. Ordinary type (◎) Stand abilities (during attacking and blocking) exhausts the character using the effect.
When action type Stand abilities are used, that character is exhausted. When a void type ability is used, that Stand is discarded. When a character has many options to choose from on their card and/or Stand, choose one ability to occur.
Appearance Phase
During this phase you may take characters from your hand and place them on the battlefield.
- Appearing character cards of a specific 「Character Name」 may be placed out onto the battlefield only if there is not another card on your side with that particular character name.
- Characters can only appear when their 「Appearance Cost」 has been paid.
- Appearing characters come into play inexhausted.
You must pay for one character card at a time. You may, however, put more than one character card out during your appearance phase as long as you can afford to bring them out.
Once the appearance cost has been paid, the character card is placed onto the battle field.
End Phase
This is the end of your turn. Action type, void type, special abilities, stand abilities, and effect card effects all end. If at this time you have 7 cards or more, you must discard down to 6 cards. All extra cards are placed into the discard pile. This turn is now over, and your opponent begins their own 7-phase turn.
End of Game
A player loses when:
- Their life reaches 0 points.
- When their draw deck reaches 0 cards.
