Playing Manual

Basic rules for "Z/X -Zillions of enemy X-" trading card game.

What is Z/X?

Z/X (pronounced as Zeks) is a one-on-one trading card game created by Broccoli and Nippon Ichi Software where the players fight against each other on 3×3 squares battlefield using different combination of offensive and defensive strategy based on 5 different worlds.

Winning Condition

In Z/X, the first player who make their opponent loses all 4 of their life wins.

Deck Construction Rules

See also: Deck → Deck Construction Rules

You need a deck in order to play Z/X.

The following rules must be followed when constructing a deck.

• A deck must contains exactly 50 cards. No more or less.
• You must have exactly 20 cards with "Ignition Icon" in a deck. No more or less.
• You may only put up to 4 cards with the same name in a deck.
• You may only put up to 4 cards with "Life Recovery" in a deck.
• You may only put up to 4 cards with "Void Bringer" in a deck.
• Player cards are not counted as part of the deck.
• In addition to the main deck, you also can construct an additional deck called "Dynamis". You can put up to 12 cards with "Z/X EX" (Z/X Extra) or "Shift" card type and up to 4 upper part of cards with "Z/X OB" (Z/X Overboost) card type into the "Dynamis".

Game Preparation

1. Put your Player card together with the lower part of the "Z/X Overboost" card stacked on the back side of your Player card onto your Player Square in face-up position.
2. Put a Z/X with "Start Card" from your deck onto your Player Square in face-down position. After that, shuffle your deck.
3. Put the "Dynamis" into the field in face-down position.
   • If you have cards with "Gate Card" in your deck, you can put one of them into your Dynamis in face-up position.
4. Play a game of rock-paper-scissor. The winner goes first.
5. As your initial hand, draw 4 cards from the top of your deck.
6. Each player is able to redraw their initial hand once. In case of redraw, return all cards from your hand to the deck, shuffle it, and draw 4 new cards.
7. Take the top 4 cards of your deck, and put it face-down into your "Life".
8. Take the top 2 cards of your deck, and put it face-up into your "Resource".
9. Flip the "Start Card" face-up. Now you are prepared to start the game.

Card Type and Parameters

1. Card Name: Name of the card.
2. Card Type: Type of the card. There are 6 different card types; Z/X, Event, Player, Z/X EX (Z/X Extra), Z/X OB (Z/X Overboost), and Shift.
3. Cost: Cost needed in order to use the card.
4. Color: Color of the card. There are 5 different colors; Red, Blue, White, Black, and Green.
5. Text: The ability of the card. There are 8 different abilities; Boot, Auto, Always, Event, Zero Optima, ○○○○, ○○○○, and ○○○○.
   • - [Boot] : Player may optionally choose to use the ability.

   In order to use [Boot] ability, you need to pay the necessary amount of Cost. Cost are shown as <○○> or ○○ in the card text, you may only use the ability if you are able to pay the "○○".

   • - [Sleep]: Sleep the Z/X with this ability in order to use the ability. The ability cannot be used if that Z/X is already in Sleep State.
   • ◎ - [◎ Red]: To pay the Cost, Sleep a number of cards in your Resource equal to ◎. When doing so, you must Sleep at least one or more cards with the same color as the Color Icon.

   • - [Auto] : The ability will automatically take effect if the required conditions are fulfilled.
   • - [Always] : The ability will always and continue to take effect as long as the required conditions are fulfilled.
   • - [Event] : Indicates an Event.
   • - Zero Optima X : If there are X or more cards with Ignition Icon in your Resource, the contents of the text will becomes available.
   • - ○○○○ Lv X : If there are X or more face-up [○○○○] in your Dynamis deck, the contents of the text will becomes available.
   • About the icons inside the text.
     • - <Player> "○○" : If the player use a Player card with "○○" in its Player Name, the ability will becomes available.
     • - <Valid> : Represent the place where the ability can be played and the effect resolved.
     • - <Effect> : Represent the effect of the ability.
     • - <Cost> : Represent the necessary Cost to play [Boot] ability.
     • - <Trigger> : Represent the condition to trigger [Auto] ability.
6. Square Designation Diagram: Simplified diagram of Squares. It is used to designate a specific Square. The top side of the diagram is your opponent's side, while the bottom side of the diagram is your own side.
7. Icon: There are two different icons; Ignition and Evol Seed (a card may only have one of them).
   • Ignition Icon: Cards with this icon can be played without paying its Cost if revealed during Ignition.
   • Evol Seed Icon: When cards with this icon is put from deck into Trash, resolve the ability in the text.
8. Tribe: Tribe of the card.
9. Power: Power of the card. During the turn a card received damage equal or higher to its Power, it is destroyed and sent to Charge.

Game Flow

Resolve step 1 to 6 in sequential order. Afterwards, proceed to the opponent's turn.

1. Reboot Phase

   All your cards in Sleep State (landscape position) are Reboot (switch to portrait position).

2. Draw Phase

   Draw 2 cards from your deck. However, the player who goes first cannot draw during their first turn.

3. Resource Phase

   You may choose a card from your hand, then put it into Resource in Reboot State. You may choose to not put any card. Cards put in Resource are used to pay the Cost required to use a card. During each Resource Phase, only 1 card may be put into Resource this way.

4. Ignition Phase

   You may perform Ignition (IG). Ignition is performed in the following order:

   • Choose a card from your Charge and put it into Trash.
   • Reveal the top card of your deck.
   • If the revealed card has an Ignition Icon, you may play that card without paying its Cost. This is called Overdrive (OD).
   • If the revealed card does not have an Ignition Icon or if it is not played, put the revealed card into Trash. You can perform Ignition as many times as you want as long as you have enough cards in Charge.

5. Main Phase

   The following action can be done in any order, and as many times as you want. Please refer to "Paying the Cost" section for more details about Cost. You can only perform "Play a Z/X Extra" once per turn.

   • Play a Z/X

   Pay the Cost, and make a Z/X card in your hand appear onto the Square in Reboot State. Please refer to the "Playing a Z/X" section for more details.

   • Play an Event or [Boot] Ability

   Pay the Cost, and use an Event from your hand or [Boot] ability possessed by Z/X. After using an Event card and immediately resolved its effect, put it into Trash. Please refer to the "Playing an Event" section for more details.

   • Battle

   Your Z/X can attack an opponent's Z/X or Player. Please refer to the "Battle Procedure" section for more details.

   • Play a Z/X Extra

   Fulfill the "Advent Condition", "Awakening Condition", or "Idealize Condition", and make a Z/X Extra in your Dynamis deck appear onto the Square in Reboot State.

6. End Phase

   Perform the following procedures during the End Phase.

   • Resolve any "at the end of [...] turn" ability.
   • Any damage dealt to a Z/X during this turn is gone.
   • Any abilities that last "until end of turn" ends.
   • If the current turn player has 7 or more cards in his or her hand, they must choose a card from his or her hand and put it into Trash until they have 6 cards in his or her hand.

Field

1. Square: There are two type of Squares, Player Square and Normal Square.
2. Player Square: Square where a Player card is placed.
3. Normal Square: Every other Square that are not a Player Square.
4. Resource: Place to put the Resource.
5. Deck Zone: Place to put your deck.
6. Dynamis Zone: Place to put your Dynamis.
7. Trash: Place to put used or discarded cards.
8. Charge: Temporary place to put destroyed Z/X cards. It can hold up to 4 cards. If 5 or more cards are put into Charge, choose and put a number of cards in Charge into Trash until there are only 4 cards left on it.
9. Life: Place for the Life. If a player's Life reaches 0, that player lose the game.
10. Army Area: The 3 Squares nearest to your position. It is your opponent's Enemy Army Area.
11. Center Area: The 3 Squares located in the middle between you and your opponent.
12. Enemy Army Area: The 3 Square farthest from your position. It is your opponent's Army Area.

Paying the Cost

In order to play a card, you need to pay the Cost written on that card. Cost is paid by turning a number of cards in your Resource, equal to the Cost of card that you want to play, from Reboot State into Sleep State. Also, you must Sleep at least one card with the same color as the card you want to play.

Playing a Z/X

When playing a Z/X or Z/X Extra card onto a Square in Reboot State, you must follow the following rules.

1. You cannot put it onto a Square with your opponent's Z/X on it.
2. You cannot put it onto your opponent's Player Square.
3. You cannot put it onto a Square with your Z/X in Sleep State on it.
4. If you put it onto a Square with your Z/X in Reboot State on it, put the Z/X that previously occupied the Square into Trash.

Playing an Event

You can play an Event card from your Hand after paying the Cost. A played Event card have its effect immediately resolved. After the effect of an Event card have been resolved, put it into Trash. Event card can be played during the Main Phase of your turn or during the Battle of either player's turn.

Battle Procedure

Main article: Battle

Proceed the battle by performing the 4 steps below in sequential order.

1. Battle Declaration Step (Attack Declaration)

   Declare an attack using your Z/X or Z/X Extra in Reboot State by turning that Z/X or Z/X Extra from Reboot State to Sleep State. The attacking Z/X may attack an opponent's Z/X, Z/X Extra, or Player card adjacent to it. However, you cannot attack the Player card if your opponent has a Z/X or Z/X Extra on his or her Player Square.

2. 
   Battle Event Step (Play Event or [Boot] Ability)

   The order are alternating between You → Opponent → You to choose whether to play Event card and/or [Boot] ability or to pass. The effect of Event or [Boot] ability are immediately resolved after used. If both you and your opponent choose to pass, proceed to step [3].

3. 
   Battle Damage Step (Attack Resolution)

   If the attacking Z/X has left the Square, proceed to step [4]. If the attacking Z/X remain on Square, perform either one of the following according to the attack target.

   • Attacking a Z/X or Z/X Extra

   Deal damage equal to your attacking Z/X Power to your opponent's Z/X. The damage is only dealt from the attacking Z/X, and the opposing Z/X doesn't deal any damage. Z/X that receive damage equal or more than its Power are destroyed and put into Charge.

   • Attacking a Player

   Deal 1 damage to your opponent's Life. Choose one of your opponent's Life, then your opponent reveal that card. If the revealed card has an Ignition Icon, your opponent may choose to play that card without paying its Cost. If the card played at that time has " [Always] Life Recovery " or " [Always] Void Bringer ", compare the Life between the attacked and the attacking player, if the Life of the attacked player is lesser than or equal to the attacking player, that player perform the following action.

   • " [Always] Life Recovery " - Put the top card of the deck face-down into Life (recover 1 Life).
   • " [Always] Void Bringer " - Choose a Z/X on Square, and put it into Trash.

   If the revealed card does not have an Ignition Icon or if it is not played, put the revealed card into Charge.

4. Battle End Step

   End the battle.

When You Deck Out

See also: Deck → Reload Effect

When a player deck count reaches 0, that player immediately shuffle all cards in his or her Trash and use it as a new deck. Afterwards, the opponent of that player choose a card from that player's Life and put it into that player's Charge. That player loses if his or her Life is reduced to 0 during the process.

If a card with Ignition Icon is put into Charge at this time, that card cannot be played. Moreover, effects or abilities like Life Recovery or Void Bringer are not activated.

Additional Points

Dynamis Rule

• Z/X Extra cannot be put into regular deck, it is put into a different deck called "Dynamis".
• "Dynamis" is comprised of up to 12 cards with "Z/X Extra" or "Shift" card type, and up to 4 upper part of "Z/X Overboost" cards into the "Dynamis" for a total of up to 16 cards.
• You can only put up to 4 cards with the same name in "Dynamis".
• "Dynamis" is put into the field in face-down position (you can verify the contents of your own "Dynamis" at any time).

Playing a Z/X Extra

You can play a Z/X Extra by fulfilling either one of the following conditions.

• Fulfill its "Advent Condition".
• Fulfill its "Awaken Condition".
• Fulfill its "Idealize Condition".

Playing a Z/X Extra with "Advent Condition"

You can play a Z/X Extra with "Advent Condition" by fulfilling the following conditions.

• The amount of cards in your Resource is equal or greater than the Cost of Z/X Extra that you want to play.
• You fulfill the "Advent Condition" written in the card. "Advent Condition" is fulfilled by destroying your own Reboot State Z/X on Square that corresponds to the condition written in the text. When you do so, the total Cost of the destroyed Z/X must be equal or greater than the Cost of Z/X Extra that you want to play.
  • If you want to play a Cost 6 Z/X Extra with "2 White Z/X" in the "Advent Condition", you must destroy 2 White Z/X with the total of their Cost equal to or greater than 6. After the "Advent Condition" is achieved, the Z/X Extra is played and appear on Square.
  • Playing a Z/X Extra and make it appear onto Square is the same as "Playing a Z/X".

Playing a Z/X Extra with "Awaken Condition"

You can play a Z/X Extra with "Awaken Condition" by fulfilling the following conditions in sequential order.

1. Pay the Cost of Z/X Extra that you want to play like playing a regular Z/X.
2. Perform the text written in the "Awaken Condition".
   • If you want to play a Green Cost 7 Z/X Extra with "Awaken Condition" that said "Return 2 Cost 5 or greater cards in your Resource to deck, shuffle the deck, and put 2 cards from the top of your deck into Resource in Sleep State." in its text, after paying the 7 Green Cost, perform the instruction written on the "Awaken Condition". (You cannot play it if you have less than 2 Cost 5 or greater cards in your Resource.) After the "Awaken Condition" is achieved, the Z/X Extra is played and appear on Square.
   • Playing a Z/X Extra and make it appear onto Square is the same as "Playing a Z/X".
   • If you cannot fulfill the "Awaken Condition", you cannot play a Z/X Extra with "Awaken Condition".

Playing a Z/X Extra with "Idealize Condition"

Please refer to the section for Idealize for detailed information.

Additional Information

If a Z/X Extra that appeared on Square left the Square and would be put into another location, that Z/X Extra card is immediately put into "Dynamis" in face-up position.

• Example : If a Z/X Extra is destroyed and would be put into Charge, put it face-up into "Dynamis".
• Example : If a Z/X Extra would be returned to hand, put it face-up into "Dynamis".
• Example : If a Z/X Extra would be put into Resource, put it face-up into "Dynamis".
• Example : If a Z/X Extra would be removed from game, put it face-up into "Dynamis".

Face-down Z/X Extra in your "Dynamis" can be played during the Main Phase of your own turn. Face-up Z/X Extra in "Dynamis" cannot be played. You can only play Z/X Extra card once per turn. Z/X Extra is also treated as Z/X.

About "○○○○ Lv X"

If the number of face-up [○○○○] in your own "Dynamis" is equal or greater than X, the ability will becomes available.

• - Denotes Level Ability that related to [Dingir].
• - Denotes Level Ability that related to [Waker].
• - Denotes Level Ability that related to regular Tribe.

About Ignition Overboost and Shift

Main articles: Ignition Overboost, Z/X Overboost, and Shift

"Ignition Overboost" is a mechanic that allow a Player and Z/X to fuse as one into "Z/X Overboost" card, while "Shift" is a card that allow a Z/X or Z/X Overboost to lend the form of Player of figures from both past and future.

Please refer to the linked pages about for more details about the mechanic and the card types.

About Token

Main article: Token

The ability of a card may create a Token. Token are represented by the "TOKEN" icon.

About Token Marker

If a Token is created by the ability of a card, please use a dedicated "Token Marker" to represent the created Token. The dedicated Token Marker are distributed in the following method. (The distribution method may change)

• Included in the sealed products (1 Token Marker in 1 sealed pack)
• Downloadable data

※ Token Marker obtained by method other than the above-mentioned distribution method cannot be used.

• Example : Custom-made Token Marker.
• Example : A face-down card treated as Token Marker.
• Example : Token Marker from another card game.

※ If you don't have a dedicated Token Marker for Token created by the a card's ability, you cannot create the Token. When using card with ability to create Token, please make sure to prepare the dedicated Token Marker beforehand.

※ Token Marker that are different from the created Token cannot be used.

• Example : You cannot use a different Token Marker from "Baal Slave" Token Marker to represent a "Baal Slave" Token Marker created on Square.

About the Token Card Type

• A Token is not treated as card.
• Although Token is not a card, it possess the specified card type.

• Example : If the "TOKEN" is a "Z/X", it is treated as "Z/X".

• If the type of a Token is Z/X or Z/X Extra, it possess parameter such as Cost, Power, color, card name, Tribe, ability, and so on.

Token Rule

If a Token that appeared on Square left the Square and would be put into another location, that Token immediately disappear from game. If a Token is moved from a Square onto another Square, that Token will not disappear.

The following are examples of how a Token that appeared on Square would disappear.

• Example : If a Token is destroyed and put into Charge, it disappear.
• Example : If a Token is returned to hand, it disappear.
• Example : If a Token is put into Resource, it disappear.
• Example : If a Token is removed from game, it disappear.

About Gate

Main article: Gate Card

"Gate" is a new mechanic that represent the gate used by the Z/X users in the story to enter the distant star world. It is also related to the "Dream Key" and "Idealize" mechanic.

• Gate are shorthand for Event cards with the " [Always] Gate Card" ability. Similar to " [Always] Start Card", you can put one Gate Card face-up into your Dynamis at the start of the game.
• While a Gate Card is face-up in the Dynamis, you can obtain "Dream Key" by fulifilling the condition listed in the Gate Card.

About Dream Key

Main articles: Counter and Dream Key

"Dream Key" is a key-like object that produced from the "Gate" in the story. Collected "Dream Key" can be used to play Z/X Extra with "Idealize Condition".

• Dream Key are "Marker" created by Gate and other cards. They also possess the "Counter" type—a new card type after Z/X, Event, Shift, and Token (it is treated as Marker with Counter card type). While they have no effect, they possessed their own icon.
• After "...acquire 1 Dream Key" effect from Gate, Z/X Overboost, and so forth resolved, you can gain a Dream Key Marker with icon.
• Once a Dream Key is obtained, it continue to remains in that game until it is expended for Idealize Condition and the likes. Dream Key can be put in any location as long as it doesn't get mixed with other cards in that location.

※ Since Dream Key is a Marker, it doesn't need to be put in the deck or Dynamis when constructing a deck or Dynamis similar to Token Marker. If you are going to use Dream Key, please prepare a necessary amount of them before starting the game.

※ Dream Key use a dedicated "Counter Marker" similar to Token Marker. If you don't have a dedicated Counter Marker for Dream Key, you cannot obtain the Dream Key.

About Idealize

"Idealize" is the form of partner Z/X with some parts of their hearts manifested due to the power from stars in story. It is represented as powerful Z/X Extra with the specific [Idealize] Tribe and "Idealize Condition".

• Idealize has "Idealize Condition" as their playing condition. If you possessed an equal or greater amount of Dream Key than the number listed in the condition, you can expend the listed amount of Dream Key to play the Idealize. You don't have to pay Resource equal to its Cost.
• Dream Key that was expended for "Idealize Condition" disappear from the game.
• Idealize is a Z/X Extra. If you played an Idealize, you cannot play another Z/X Extra during that same turn.

External Links

• Playing Manual at Z/X Official Website (Japanese)
• Ignition Overboost at Z/X Official Website (Japanese)
• Comprehensive Rulebook at Z/X Official Website (Japanese)
• Video: Z/X Prologue & Teaching Guide (Japanese)