The Final Fantasy - Trade Card Game (FF-TCG) is a game where 2 players prepare a deck of cards prior to

the game and employ cards during game play to build formations and attack each other. A space referred to

as a "field" is setup in front of each sitting player on a desk or any flat surface and each player will place

cards into the field. Both the introduction of cards into the field and their use during game play requires

specific "costs" to be paid using cards under the control of the player. By paying these costs, the player will

employ various tactics to attack or defend against each other. If a player cannot successfully defend

(referred to as a "block") against an attack by their opponent, then the player loses 1 point. The purpose of

the game is to make your opponent lose 7 points or force your opponent to deplete their deck of cards.

©SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.FINAL FANTASY is a registered trademark or trademark of Square Enix Holdings Co., ltd.

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CARD DESCRIPTIONThere are 3 types of cards in FF-TCG. Each card's type is described above left of the text box.

The central component of your deck, FORWARD cards attack your opponent by inflicting damage. There are no restrictions on the number of FORWARD cards to be placed on the field.

Cards that support your actions. Turning BACKUP cards to the dulled position provides CP. A total of 5 BACKUP cards may be placed on the field.

SUMMON CREATURE cards are special cards that come in handy in tight combat situations.

SUMMON CREATURE cards are not placed on the field and can only be used once (1 time) but they features powerful abilities. Abilities (see page 5) described in the text box of SUMMON CREATURE, FORWARD, and BACKUP cards can interrupt your opponent's actions.

Indicates the cost (CP number and color) needed and the card’s affiliation.

1 COST & AFFILIATION

The name of the card. Upper right icon indicates 3 of the same card may be placed on the field. If no icon, only 1 card of the same name can be placed on the field even if it is a different card. Any EX Burst card will have a icon.

2 CARD NAME

Indicates card type. The card’s occupation is indicated on the right. If the occupation is “regular soldier”, then 3 identical cards may be placed on the field.

3 CARD TYPE

Indicates the card’s abilities. If the text refers to the name of the card, then the abilities effect the card itself.

4 ABILITY TEXT

Indicates the rarity of the card and its serial number.

5 CARD SERIAL NUMBER

Only specified on FORWARD cards, the value denotes damage a card can inflict on the opponent. If the card receives an attack above the value indicated, then the card is broken .

6 POWER

Indicates the cost (CP number and color) needed to summon the card. CP paid must include at least 1 CP of the same affiliation of the card.

1 COST & AFFILIATION

As in the case of character cards, those with EX Burst capabilities will have a icon in the upper right.

2 CARD NAME

Because SUMMON CREATURES do not have occupations, description here only states “SUMMON CREATURE”.

3 CARD TYPE

Once the abilities specified in the text box has been resolved, the card is placed in the broken zone.

4 ABILITY TEXT

Indicates the rarity of the card and its serial number.

5 CARD SERIAL NUMBER

•Each deck may contain only 3 of the same cards.

•If the card has the icon, then 3 cards can be placed on the field at the same time.

•If the card does not have a icon, then only 1 card of the same name can be placed on your field.

RARITYTHE 8 AFFILIATIONS

A sturdy affiliation, featuring characters that are large with heavy protection.

EARTH

A mobile affiliation, featuring members with high speed. WIND

A manipulative affiliation, specializes in deflection and other abilities that interfere with the opponent’s actions.

ICE

An aggressive affiliation, specializes in combat abilities. FIRE

A situation altering affiliation, specializing in abilities that isolate an opponent and etc.

WATER

A hit and run affiliation, specializing in lightening fast hits that knock out opponents one by one.

THUNDER

The rarity categories are; Specially rare, Rare, Uncommon, and Entry level, which are cards only included in the beginner’s pack.

Rarity scale

SSPECIALLY RARE

RRARE

UUNCOMMON

CCOMMON

EENTRY

FORWARD CARDS

SUMMON CREATURE CARDS

BACKUP CARDS

VERY RARE VERY COMMON

1 1

1

2

2

3

3

3

2

4

4

5

5

6

4

5

LIGHT

DARKNESSS

Order and virtuous are characteristics of the light affiliation, while chaos and evil are of the darkness affiliation. Cards of both affiliation are very powerful. Only 1 card of either affiliation many be placed on your field during play.

IMPORTANT RULES

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HOW TO USE THE CARDSCreating "crystal points"*(CPs) is fundamental to deploying cards on the field.

FIELD LAYOUT GUIDE

there are two aways to create CP. Use the CPs created to deploy or enable a card’s abilities.

CREATING CPs USING CPs

Dulled card creates CPs of the card’s affiliation.

Discarding a card creates 2 CPs of the card’s affiliation.

1 DULLING BACKUPS

Dulling action.

1 Thunder CP created.

2 DISCARDING CARDS (2CP)

Discard action.

2 Fire CPs created.

IMPORTANT RULES•When placing a card on the field, the affiliation of at least 1 CP must be the same. This is not the case for Light and Darkness affiliation cards.

•An added special rule for Light and Darkness affiliation card field placement is that you cannot discard to earn CP toward minimum CP requirements.

•You cannot CPs divert remaining after card placement toward another card's placement nor to pay for enabling a card's abilities.

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1

4

2

5

FORWARD cards are placed at the front. If FORWARD cards are broken following combat, then it must be placed in the broken zone .

1 FORWARD

BACKUP cards are placed on the field in a dull state. Only 5 BACKUP cards can be placed on the field at any given time.

2 BACKUP

If damage has occurred to you, then place the top card from you deck, faced up, in the damage zone. The first player to place 7 cards in the damage zone loses the game.

3 DAMAGE ZONE

Place your card deck faced down. The first player who runs out of cards to draw from his/her deck loses the game.

4 DECK

Any cards that were broken as a result of combat and all cards that you have discarded are placed in the broken zone faced up.

5 BROKEN ZONE

1 Fire CP + 2 CPs of any affiliation.

CPs needed to place card on the field.

2 Ice CPs + making this card dull .

CPs needed to use this card's ability:

CPs of any affiliation equal to or more than specified.

CPs needed to place these cards on the field:

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PLAYER TURN PHASESBelow describes the progression of events (phases) for each player's turn, players altemate turns.

Prepare a deck of exactly 50 cards and shuffle well. The deck may contain only 3 of any single identical card. You may have more than 3 cards of the same name as long as they are different cards.

1 PREPARE YOUR DECK

Use any number of means to randomly decide who goes first. Flipping a coin or using dice is fine. The first player to start the game draws one less card than usual.

2 DECIDE WHO PLAYS FIRST

Draw 5 cards from the top of the deck. If you are unhappy with the result, you mat try again only once after placing the previously drawn cards at the bottom of your deck.

3 DRAW CARDS

BEFORE THE GAME

DRAW PHASEDraw an additional 2 cards from the deck. Note the starting player draws only 1 card at the start of the game. If you are out of cards at the start of the draw phase, then you have lost the game.

MAIN PHASEThe player can do any of the following three actions as many times as he/she wants to.

Pay the CP cost required to pull a card in your hand and place the card on the field. as a rule, card cannot attack nor employ an icon ability when the card is first placed on the field. any BACKUP cards are first placed on the field in a dulled state.

PLACE CHARACTER CARD ON THE FIELD

As with character cards, SUMMON CREATURE cards can be introduced by paying the required CP, and once its abilities have been resolved, place the card into the broken zone. SUMMON CREATURES can invoked to interrupt your opponents use of a SUMMON CREATURE card or use of a character card’s abilities.

INVOKE SUMMON CREATURE

The cost of using action or special abilities are specified in the left side of the colon in the text box. You may use card’s abilities to interrupt your opponent’s abilities or invoking of a SUMMON CREATURE.

USE A CHARACTER'S ABILITIES

MAIN PHASEAll actions conducted in the first main phase can be repeated.

END PHASEAny damage inflicted upon FORWARD cards are set back to zero.

If the player has more than 5 cards in hand, he/she must discard

until only 5 remain.

ACTIVE PHASEAll FORWARD and / or BACKUP cards that are in dulled state are turned vertical to return to active state.

Dulled state

Active state

Denotes stages where the opposing player may activate abilities or invoke SUMMON CREATURES.

ATTACK PHASEThe following actions take place for each attacking FORWARD.

Both the attacking player and the blocking player may use a SUMMON CREATURE or other card’s abilities prior to the attack.

1 PREPARING BEFORE ATTACK

2 CHOOSE THE ATTACKING FORWARD

5 RETURN TO STEP 1 IF ATTACK CONTINUES

The defending player must decide whether or not to block the attack, and if so, chose 1 active FORWARD to be the blocking card. Only FORWARDS in active state may block an attack.

3 DEFENDING PLAYER CHOOSES BLOCKING FORWARD

1 FORWARD in active state is chosen, and then made dull to indicate an attack. A newly placed FORWARD card on the field cannot be used for an attack in that turn.(There are exceplions.)

VSIf player chooses not to block, then go to 4-2.

The confronting FORWARD cards inflict their respective damage points against each other. Any FORWARD that receives damage than its own is broken and is placed in the broken zone. Any unbroken FORWARD’s received damage is carried over until the end of the turn.

CARDS EXCHANGE DAMAGE

If the attack is not blocked, then the defending player received 1 damage point, regardless of the power of the attacking FORWARD.

IF ATTACK IS NOT BLOCKED, THEN 1 DAMAGE TO PLAYER RESULTS

BREAKAGE5000

3000

Inflicted on opponent's deck

1 Damage

4-2

4-1

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CARD ABILITIESAbilities can be grouped into 4 general categories. Learn to use them effectively to secure your path to victory.

FIELD ABILITIESSPECIAL ABILITIES

Abilities that are in effect simply by being on the field. Examples include the reducing CP costs in invoking SUMMON CREATURES and enabling FORWARD cards’ powers.

AUTOMATIC ABILITIES

Abilities that automatically come into effect when conditions are met. The text box usually states “X happens when Y occurs.” These abilities usually come into effect when a particular card enters into the field.

ACTION ABILITIES

Abilities that can put into effect by paying the cost as specified in the left hand side of the text box. In many cases the cost involves making a card to become dull . Use requires discarding of same name card.

Action abilities which have a special name. Using these abilities requires not only paying the specified CP, but also a card of the same name must be discarded. (The symbol denotes “Special abilities.”) Any card with the same name will do and does not have to be the identical card. In the example below, TIFA’s WATER KICK ability can be employed by discarding the card shown above.

A card with this ability in effect can inflict damage first against the opponent in both an attack or a block.

FIRST STRIKE:

A card with this ability in effect can remain in an active state even in an attack. Note that the some card can be used once during a turn.

BRAVE:

A card with this ability can attack or be used in a cost in the same turn ?? it is placed on the field.HASTE:

DAMAGE AND EX BURSTSIf you do not block your opponent’s attack, then the toe card from your deck is flipped and placed in the damage zone. When 7 cards are in your damage zone, you lose. If the card removed from your deck to be placed in the damage zone is a EX Burst card, then those abilities may be used.

Defeat after 7 cardsIf an EX Burst card has been revealed, it can go into effect immediately and its effect cannot be interrupted by the opposing player. In cases where the EX Burst card text box states “If this card is on the field…”, while the card will not be placed on the field, the remaining abilities can be put into effect.

IMPORTANT EX BURST RULES

Discarding a card of the same name is required.

NOTABLE ABILITIES

If flipped card has EX Burst abilities, it can be employed.

EX Burst immediately goes into effect.

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TYPICAL PLAY ROUTINELet's now watch two players going about playing a match using two sets of beginner's decks.

Right, let's play a match using two beginner's decks. Do you mind using the BLACK deck, since I'd like to go with the WHITE deck. Okay, let's flip a coin. I won, so I'll choose to go first. I'm going to draw 5 cards.

I've drawn 5 cards, but they are all high cost cards. I won't be able to place any cards on the field. I can try once more, can't I? I'll place these 5 cards at the bottom of my deck and draw another 5 cards.

I'll start first. The starting player draws only 1 card. I'll discard a <Karate fighter> card to create 2 Earth CPs and place an <Conjurer> that only cost 1 CP onto the field. Because this card is a BACKUP card, its placed on the field in a dull state. Since I'm only using 1 CP to place the <Conjurer> on the field, I'm letting part of the CPs I created go to waste, but there's nothing I can do about it. I'm done. (4 cards in hand, 1 dulled BACKUP card on the field.)

2 CPs created

Fielding cost: 1 CP

Now it's my turn. I'll draw 2 cards and discard a <Samu-rai> card from my hand to create 2 Fire CPs and place a <Chocobo Chick> in a dull state, and discard a <Red Mage> and place a <Red XIII> on the field. While <Red XIII> is a FORWARD card, unless it has Haste abilities, it can't conduct an attack on the turn that it was placed on the field. I'm done now. (3 cards in hand, 1 dulled BACKUP card and 1 FORWARD card on the field.)

Now my turn. I'll first make the <Conjurer> active and draw 2 cards. I'll discard 1 card from my hand to create 2 Thunder CPs and make my <Conjurer> dull to create 1 Earth CP. This allows me to place <Barret> on the field, and I'm done. (4 cards in hand, 1 dulled BACKUP card and 1 FORWARD card on the field.)

+

<Barret> has 7000? <Red XIII> won't be no match against him. I'll put <Chocobo Chick> into a dull state and create 1 Fire CP to place a <Conjurer> on the field in a dull state and then I'm done.(4 cards in hand, 2 dulled BACKUP card and 1 FORWARD card on the field.)

Right, its my turn now! First I'll draw 2 cards and attack you with my <Barret> card in the attack phase! <Red XIII> won't be able to block me, so I'm good to go. So will you block me?(6 cards in hand, 1 BACKUP card and 1 dulled FORWARD card on the field.)

Attack

Just one second. I'll use my ace in the hole against <Barret>. I'll discard 2 cards from my hand to create 4 CPs to invoke my SUMMON CREATURE <Brynhildr>! Its an amazing SUMMON CREATURE that can inflict 7000

against you. Take that, <Barret>! (1 card in hand)

Discard

DiscardDiscard

Discard Discard

Discard

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What!? I can't let <Barret> be broken! I'll interrupt your invocation of <Brynhildr>! I'll create 1 Earth CP from my <Conjurer> and invoke my SUMMON CREATURE <Golem> card that adds 2000 to to my attacking FORWARD's power!(5 cards in hand, 1 dulled BACKUP card and 1 dulled FORWARD card on the field.)

Wait, what happens when an interruption occurs?

What does it mean to attack as a party unit?

The <Golem> card's effects are superimposed upon <Brynhildr>'s effects. In other words, my <Golem> abilities are applied before your <Brynhildr>. So now 2000 is added to <Barret>'s power, making it 9000. Now, <Barret> will be able to withstand <Brynhildr>'s 7000.

Brynhildr

Golem

9000

Okay… Wait. But if my <Red XIII> blocks your <Barret>, since <Red XIII> has first strike ability, it will inflict 4000 on <Barret> first. Your <Barret> suffered a 7000 attack already, so it only has 2000 left, leaving it unable to defeat my <Red XIII>.

90007000 damage in

flicted

4000 damage inflicted.

1

2

Uh-oh. You're right. I screwed up! Oh well, <Barret> then goes to the broken zone, and I'll discard 2 card to create 4CP and place an <Onion Knight>, which costs 3CP, on the field. (2 cards in hand, 1 dull BACKUP card and 1 FORWARD card on the field.)

My turn. I'll discard 1 card plus make 2 BACKUP cards dull to create 4 CPs. This will let me place <Tifa> on the field. Since you have an <Onion Knight> on the field, I can't attack with my <Red XIII> so I'm done. (2 cards in hand, 2 dull BACKUP cards and 1 FORWARD card on the field.)

Right, now its my turn. First I draw 2 cards and discard 1 plus dull a BACKUP to create a total of 3 CPs and place a <Dragoon> with haste abilities on the field. My <Onion Knight> only has 6000 and my <Dragoon> only has 5000, so individually they can't defeat <Tifa>, but I'll attack by combining the two together as a party unit!

Party Unit

Discard Discard

Discard

Discard

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Uh-oh. An EX Burst. I may have inflicted 1 point of dam-age on you, but an EX Burst can suddenly turn tides, so you can't let your guard down.

Well cards of the same affiliation can be combined to form a party and attack as one unit. The two combined together would create a FORWARD card with a power of 11000. It only takes 1 card to block the attack and even if an attack secures damage against you, it would only be 1 point.

Attack11000

What!? "Water Kick"!? Wait, let me see that card. Text reads, "Choose 1 FORWARD and make it dull and inflict 6000 damage"!?

Wow… <Tifa> sure is a powerful card. I never thought you'd have another <Tifa> card in your hand…

I see. Then I'll put <Tifa>'s special ability into effect! I'll discard a common version of a <Tifa> card and discard 1 card from my hand to create 2 Fire CPs. Now I have no cards on hand, but I can activate <Tifa>'s "Water Kick"!

Now it's my turn. I'll draw 2 cards and attack using <Tifa>. You have no FORWARD cards in the field, so you won't be able to block me. It looks like I'll be able to attack you with my <Red XIII> as well.

Attack

Well your attack with <Tifa> gets through and I've taken 1 point of damage. I can handle this. I won't lose until I take 7 points. I'll flip 1 card from my deck and place it in my broken zone… Hey, how about that. I've drawn a SUMMON CREATURE <Ramuh> card that has EX Burst abilities. The EX Burst immediately goes into effect!

1 Damage.Point

I'll choose your <Onion Knight> to become dull and apply 6000 to break it. Now you only have your <Dragoon> card. The nice thing about the "Water Kick" is that <Tifa> remains in an active state. So <Tifa> will now block your <Onion Knight> and break it as well.

1

2Block attack

Inflict 6000 damage

<Ramuh>'s ability allows me to inflict 4000 damage to any of your active FORWARD cards, so I'll pick your <Red XIII> and make it broken. This will stop you from mounting another attack. Okay! I can still keep on playing!

4000 damage inflicted

And as such, the battle continues…

Discard