TCG Encyclopedia

A powerful Pokémon card that gives up two Prize Cards when Knocked Out.

A card type representing a powerful ally that uses loyalty abilities.

A luminous manifestation of a Disney character brought to life by the Illuminary.

The face-down card that determines your deck color and provides a unique ability.

A separate deck containing Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Link Monsters that can be Special Summoned during play.

The color identity of a card in Star Wars Unlimited, similar to colors in MTG.

The central card that defines your deck, class, and starting life total in Flesh and Blood.

Special cards revealed during drive or damage checks that provide combat bonuses.

A Trainer card representing a character that provides a powerful one-time effect. Only one can be played per turn.

A Trainer card that stays in play and affects both players until another Stadium is played.

An Item card that attaches to a Pokémon and provides a persistent effect.

A temporary permanent created by a spell or ability, not represented by an actual card in the deck.

A Trap card type with Spell Speed 3 that can only be responded to by other Counter Traps.

A card type representing a human partner that provides ongoing effects and supports Digimon in battle.

Spell-like cards that provide one-time effects when played by paying their memory cost.

Permanent items that occupy specific slots (head, chest, arms, legs, weapon) and provide ongoing abilities.

A special card type that acts as a persistent support card with charged abilities.

A persistent magical effect that modifies the game state or enhances creatures.

A companion creature that provides passive bonuses and can be sent on minor tasks.

A multi-step spell that requires specific conditions and components to cast.

A one-time use spell card that provides an immediate effect when activated.

The creature type in MetaZoo, based on real-world cryptids and mythical beings.

A location card that changes the battlefield and provides bonuses to specific types of Cryptids.

A card type that creates agreements between players, often with conditions and rewards.

A spell card that provides magical effects and cantrips in the MetaZoo universe.

A powerful Item card that you can only include one copy of in your deck.

A card with the Ancient mechanic from the Scarlet & Violet era, providing bonuses when certain conditions are met.

A card with the Future mechanic from the Scarlet & Violet era, representing technological Pokemon variants.

A special Pokemon variant with a shimmering holo treatment and powerful abilities, limited to one per deck.

An evolution of V Pokemon with a powerful one-time VSTAR Power ability.

An evolved form of V Pokemon with extremely high HP, giving up 3 Prize Cards when Knocked Out.

A classification for characters that determines synergy with certain effects, such as Straw Hat, Supernova, or CP.

A unique unit that starts in play and provides a persistent effect. Leaders can attack and use abilities.

A celestial card type that generates Stellar Points and provides passive bonuses.

A consumable card type that provides an immediate effect when used, then is discarded.

An equipment card that modifies spell effects, such as increasing damage or changing the spell's targeting.

A card type representing a magical object or relic that provides persistent effects while in play.

A card type that provides an immediate magical effect when cast, then goes to the discard pile.

A card type representing a human handler who can command Cryptids and provide strategic bonuses.

A classification system for cards based on magical elements such as Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind that determines synergies.

A card type that provides a global persistent effect on the game state, remaining in play until destroyed.

A subtype classification for creatures that determines tribal synergies and card interactions.

The central card in Dragon Ball Super Card Game that represents your main fighter and determines your deck colors.

The standard playable card type that represents a fighter or support unit deployed to the battle area.

A keyword descriptor on cards that defines their archetype and determines synergy with other cards sharing the same trait.

The standard base stage for Digimon in the card game, representing a young but capable Digimon.

The fourth Digivolution stage (called Adult in Japanese), representing a mature Digimon with moderate power.

The fifth Digivolution stage (called Perfect in Japanese), representing a powerful Digimon with strong abilities.

The highest Digivolution stage (called Ultimate in Japanese), representing the most powerful Digimon with game-changing abilities.

The lowest Digimon stage after Fresh, representing a young Digimon with minimal power.

An Equipment card that provides your Hero's primary attack ability. Weapons can be used once per turn to attack.

Cards without a class restriction that can be included in any Hero's deck regardless of class.

A card type that provides strategic effects when played, similar to spells in other TCGs.

A trigger type that gives +5000 power and heals one damage if your damage is equal to or greater than your opponent's.

One of the three attack attributes in One Piece Card Game. Slash-type characters deal additional damage to certain targets.

One of the three attack attributes in One Piece Card Game. Strike-type characters focus on physical combat.

One of the three attack attributes in One Piece Card Game. Ranged-type characters attack from a distance.

A trait shared by certain characters referencing the Worst Generation supernovas from the One Piece anime.

A card type that enters play and provides a persistent or activated effect. Items stay on the field until removed.

A special Action card subtype that can either be paid with ink or sung by a character with sufficient Singer value.

A card type representing stars, planets, moons, and other cosmic objects that provide passive battlefield effects.

The statistical probability of opening a specific rarity from a booster pack.

The process of having a card professionally evaluated for condition and assigned a numeric grade.

A sealed box containing multiple booster packs from a specific set.

A premium variant of cards featuring alternate art and special foil treatments.

A premium alternate art variant of a card that is mechanically identical but features unique artwork.

A card rarity tier representing the most powerful and sought-after cards in Grand Archive.

A special promotional card given out at Pokemon League events, featuring a gym leader stamp.

A rare reverse holo variant where the holo pattern extends across the entire card except the artwork.

A premium card rarity featuring enhanced artwork and foil treatments. Mechanically identical to standard versions.

A multiplayer format where each player's deck is built around a legendary creature that can be cast from a special zone.

A non-rotating Constructed format that includes cards from 8th Edition (2003) onward.

A Constructed format where only common-rarity cards are legal.

A limited format where players open packs and select cards one at a time to build a deck on the spot.

A retired mechanic that allowed multiple creatures to attack or block as a group.

A special effect on a Pokémon that is not an attack.

The zone where spells and abilities wait to resolve in Magic: The Gathering.

The state of being turned sideways, indicating a permanent has been used this turn.

The resource system in Disney Lorcana used to play cards from your hand.

The act of sending your character to battle an opposing exerted character.

The resource card in One Piece Card Game, similar to mana or energy in other TCGs.

A method of summoning higher-level monsters by sending other monsters from the field to the Graveyard as tribute.

A zone where cards are removed from play entirely, separate from the Graveyard.

A system for resolving multiple activated effects in reverse order, similar to the stack in MTG.

A resource mechanic in Star Wars Unlimited used to pay for abilities and trigger powerful effects.

The state of being tapped/exhausted, indicating a unit has been used this turn.

The process of evolving a Digimon from a lower stage to a higher stage by stacking cards.

The resource system in the Digimon Card Game, represented by a shared memory gauge.

A special digivolution method that combines two Digimon into a single more powerful one.

A pile of face-down cards that serves as the player's life total. Attacks remove cards from this stack.

The sequence of attack and defense actions that resolves together at the end of a combat step.

Cards that are pitched (discarded) face-down to pay for other cards. The pitch value (1-3) determines how much resource a card generates.

A zone where a single card can be stored face-down for use on a future turn.

The act of placing a new unit on top of your Vanguard, effectively changing your leader and abilities.

A check performed when the Vanguard attacks, revealing the top card of the deck for trigger effects.

A mechanic that flips a Leader card to its more powerful awakened side when certain conditions are met.

The resource system in Dragon Ball Super Card Game, generated by placing cards from your hand into the energy area.

A defensive mechanic where cards from hand are used to increase a card's power during battle.

A special phase where players may play one climax card from hand for powerful effects.

The process of increasing your player level by putting cards from the clock area to the level zone.

Revealing the top card of the deck during an attack to apply trigger icons (soul, book, gate, etc.).

The resource system in Union Arena used to play cards and activate effects.

An effect that activates automatically when a card is played or when certain game conditions are met.

The number of Energy cards that must be discarded to move a Pokémon from the Active Spot to the Bench.

A type multiplier that causes a Pokémon to take extra damage from certain attack types.

The process of playing a higher-stage Pokémon on top of a lower-stage one to gain more HP and stronger attacks.

Six cards set aside at the start of the game. You take one each time you Knock Out an opponent's Pokémon.

Status effects that affect a Pokémon: Asleep, Burned, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned.

A mechanic from the Scarlet & Violet era where Pokémon can be Terastallized for bonus effects.

The option to shuffle your opening hand back into your deck and draw a new one with one fewer card.

The philosophical division of Magic into five colors (White, Blue, Black, Red, Green), each with unique strengths and weaknesses.

The victory resource in Disney Lorcana. The first player to accumulate 20 lore wins.

An action a character can take instead of challenging, gaining lore equal to their lore value.

A keyword that lets you play a character on top of another character with the same name at reduced cost.

A keyword ability that prevents a character from being challenged except by other characters with Evasive.

A keyword that prevents a character from being chosen as the target of opponent actions or effects.

A keyword that forces opponents to challenge this character before they can challenge your other characters or quest.

A keyword allowing a character to challenge the same turn they are played, ignoring the normal summoning sickness.

A keyword that reduces damage dealt to the character by the specified amount.

A defensive mechanic where cards from hand are discarded to increase your Leader or character's power during battle.

Face-down cards that serve as the player's health. When attacked, they are added to your hand.

A keyword allowing a character to intercept an attack meant for another card.

An effect that activates when a card is revealed from the Life area during an attack.

A keyword allowing a character to attack on the same turn it enters play.

A Special Summon method that combines specific monsters with a Fusion Spell to create a powerful Fusion Monster.

A Special Summon that uses a Tuner monster plus non-Tuner monsters whose levels equal the Synchro Monster's level.

A Special Summon using two or more monsters of the same level, which become overlay units (materials) for the Xyz Monster.

A Special Summon using face-up monsters as Link Material. Link Monsters have arrows that expand the Extra Monster Zone.

The basic summon of one monster per turn from your hand in face-up attack position.

A card that tracks damage in Star Wars Unlimited. When it's destroyed, you lose the game.

A keyword that forces opponents to attack this unit before they can attack your base.

A keyword that heals the specified amount of damage from your base when the unit enters play.

A keyword that gives a unit a shield token, absorbing the next point of damage.

A keyword that lets you play the card from your resource zone by paying its Smuggle cost.

An effect that removes the top card(s) of a Digimon stack, reverting it to a weaker form.

An instant-speed effect played during an attack to boost the attack or add effects to the combat chain.

An instant-speed effect played during defense to prevent damage from an incoming attack.

When a player is forced to discard down to their intellectual stat at the end of their turn, they are dominated.

A sentinel unit that can completely negate an attack by discarding a card of the same clan.

A cost mechanic that flips damage zone cards face-down to activate powerful abilities.

A mechanic where units are placed on top of other units to gain additional powers and abilities.

A keyword that doubles damage dealt when a card with Critical attacks.

A keyword that allows a card to attack twice in one turn.

A skill that allows playing a card by removing cards from the drop area instead of paying energy.

An ability that triggers when a character is played, allowing you to search your deck for a specific card.

An ability that returns a character from the waiting room to the stage by paying a cost.

The power value of a card used to determine the outcome of battles.

A mechanic that enhances a card with additional abilities or stats.

A mechanic where a card is charged over multiple turns for a more powerful effect.

A summoning mechanic that calls forth creatures or spirits from your archive.

The resource currency used to cast spells and activate abilities in Sorcery.

A tier system that determines the power level and cost of spells.

The primary resource in Starlight, generated by celestial bodies and used to play cards.

A grouping mechanic that provides bonuses when multiple cards of the same Constellation are in play.

A secondary resource used for special abilities and ultimate attacks.

A negative status that weakens cards over time, representing the influence of the Void.

A movement ability that lets a unit relocate to any position on the battlefield instantly.

A mechanic that lets you look at the top card(s) of your library and choose to keep them there or put them on the bottom.

Choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.

A keyword that lets a creature attack without tapping, so it can still block on the opponent's turn.

A keyword that lets you cast a spell at any time you could cast an instant, including during the opponent's turn.

A mechanic that lets you tap your creatures to help pay for a spell's mana cost.

A mechanic that lets you cast a card from your graveyard by paying an alternative cost plus exiling cards from your graveyard.

A keyword that lets multiple characters contribute to singing a song, reducing the effective cost.

A keyword that adds lore to another character when this character quests.

A keyword that grants additional Strength when this character challenges another.

The act of defeating a character by reducing its power to 0 or through card effects.

The resource system in One Piece Card Game. Don cards are added each turn and attached to characters.

A summoning method using Pendulum Monsters in the Pendulum Zones to Special Summon multiple monsters simultaneously.

A Fusion Summon that doesn't require Polymerization — the materials are sent from the field to the Graveyard directly.

An effect that activates while the card is in the Graveyard, such as banishing itself for a cost.

A mechanic that captures an enemy unit, removing it from play until the captor is defeated.

A special evolution that gives Digimon enhanced stats and abilities through the X-Antibody mechanic.

A mechanic that lets multiple Digimon combine their power for a single attack.

A mechanic that destroys your weapon after it has been used a certain number of times.

An ability that triggers additional effects if another specific card was played earlier in the combat chain.

A mechanic where the Vanguard pairs with a specific Legion Mate for combined power and abilities.

A mechanic that summons a powerful G-Unit on top of the Vanguard temporarily.

A powerful combo mechanic that activates when you have multiple Battle Cards in play with specific conditions.

An effect that reveals the top cards of your deck and provides effects based on what is revealed.

The damage zone where cards accumulate. Taking 7 damage causes a level-up and deck refresh.

A special effect that triggers automatically when the card is revealed from the deck during certain conditions.

A resource system where cards are committed from hand to generate resource points.

The resource system in MetaZoo used to cast Spellbook Pages and other effects.

A powerful one-time effect that sacrifices a celestial body for massive impact.

The numerical value on a Pendulum Monster that determines the range of levels that can be Pendulum Summoned.

A mechanic that lets you return cards from your graveyard to your hand instead of drawing, by milling cards from your library.

The act of putting cards from the top of a library directly into the graveyard.

Exiling a permanent then returning it to the battlefield, resetting it and triggering enter-the-battlefield effects.

A colorless artifact token that can be sacrificed for one mana of any color.

The specific elemental alignment required to cast a spell, such as Fire, Water, Earth, or Air.

A progression system where repeated use of a specific spell type enhances its effects over the course of a game.

A mechanic where opposing spells interact and potentially cancel or modify each other when cast simultaneously.

A defensive spell that absorbs incoming damage up to a specified amount before breaking.

A mechanic that allows paying a portion of a spell's cost over multiple turns before casting it at full power.

The resource cost required to play cards and activate abilities, measured in Aura points of various types.

The narrative backstory and thematic elements of MetaZoo, integrated into gameplay through special Lore cards and effects.

A mechanic representing environmental hazards and natural disasters that can affect all players regardless of board state.

A mechanic that changes a Cryptid into a different form, altering its stats and abilities.

A unique MetaZoo mechanic where playing a card reveals information about the opponent's hand or deck.

To remove a card from play entirely, sending it to the banished zone where it cannot be easily recovered.

The resource requirement to cast a spell or play a card, paid from the mana pool or by sacrificing resources.

A keyword that imposes an additional cost on the opponent when they target this card with a spell or ability.

A mechanic that connects a card to a specific element, gaining bonuses when the player controls matching elemental resources.

A keyword that protects a card from being targeted by opponent's card effects.

A mechanic that allows playing a card for free when certain conditions are met during the opponent's turn.

To cancel or counter an opponent's effect, preventing it from resolving.

A mechanic that locks away opponent cards, preventing them from using their abilities or being played.

A mechanic that combines specific cards from the battle area into a single powerful fused card.

An ability that triggers automatically when specific conditions are met, without requiring the player to activate it.

An ability that can be activated during the opponent's turn to disrupt their actions or protect your cards.

A mechanic that allows combining two compatible action cards for a combined attack or enhanced effect.

The primary phase of a turn where players can play cards, activate abilities, and declare attacks.

The final phase of a turn where end-of-turn effects resolve and the turn passes to the opponent.

To exhaust a card by turning it sideways, indicating it has been used for an action this turn.

A keyword that provides a reward to the opponent when this unit is defeated, while giving you an immediate benefit when played.

A keyword ability that activates when you control 2 or more units in the same arena.

A keyword that allows a unit to ignore Sentinel when attacking, bypassing protective effects.

A keyword that increases the unit's power by the specified amount when attacking the opponent's Base.

The resource that determines how many actions you can take on your turn. You receive one Action Point per turn.

A stat on Hero cards that determines hand size. Higher intellect means you keep more cards between turns.

A mechanic that reduces the cost of playing cards by paying a reduced cost from the banished zone.

The level system for units in Cardfight!! Vanguard, ranging from 0 to 4. Higher grades are more powerful.

A mechanic in the overDress era where Riding a unit with the same card name as your current Vanguard grants a bonus.

A mechanic that allows a Grade 2 rear-guard to move to the Guardian Circle to block an attack.

A special effect that attaches 2 DON!! cards from your DON!! deck to a character, providing a significant power boost.

A keyword that forces a character to challenge if able during their turn, preventing them from questing.

A keyword that allows a character to sing songs at a reduced ink cost based on the singer value.

To move a character from play to the discard pile, typically when damage equals or exceeds their Willpower.

A climax trigger icon that returns a character from the waiting room to your hand when triggered.

A climax trigger icon that lets you draw an additional card when triggered.

A climax trigger icon that returns a character from the waiting room to the stage in any open position.

A climax trigger icon that adds +1 soul to the attacking character, increasing the damage dealt by the attack.

A climax trigger icon that allows searching your deck for a character and adding it to your hand.

A transformation mechanic where a card evolves into a more powerful stellar state, gaining enhanced stats and abilities.

A moral/ethical axis system (Light, Neutral, Dark) that determines card synergies and deck-building restrictions.

A special field zone that obscures cards within it, providing protective effects and enabling ambush tactics.

A protective barrier mechanic that absorbs incoming damage, preventing a set amount before breaking.

A powerful board-affecting event that damages all cards in a specified zone or constellation.

A mechanic that pulls cards from one zone to another, disrupting the opponent's positioning and strategy.

Failing to draw a needed card or hit a desired outcome despite favorable odds.

Drawing too many resource cards (lands in MTG) and not enough action cards.

Not drawing enough resource cards to play your hand, the opposite of flooding.

A hand with no playable cards or no way to start your strategy.

To concede or surrender a game, named after the motion of scooping up your cards.

The current competitive landscape — which decks and strategies are most effective.

Drawing the exact card you need from the top of your deck at a critical moment.

A graphical representation of a deck's mana costs, showing how efficiently it uses resources across turns.

Having access to more cards than your opponent, typically through draw spells or efficient trades.

A monster effect that can be activated from the hand during the opponent's turn to disrupt their plays.

An aggressive strategy that floods the board with low-cost Rookie Digimon to win before the opponent sets up.

A synergistic effect triggered when a specific character is on the field alongside its matching climax card.

A spell that destroys or removes all creatures (or permanents) from the battlefield.

A deck archetype focused on dealing damage as quickly as possible with low-cost creatures and burn spells.

A deck archetype that focuses on disrupting the opponent and winning in the late game with powerful finishers.

A deck archetype that wins by combining specific cards for an immediate or overwhelming advantage.

The practice of copying a tournament-winning deck list from online results instead of building an original deck.

A high-impact card that can single-handedly win a game or dramatically shift the board state.

An unexpected deck strategy that is not part of the established meta, designed to catch opponents off guard.

The land and mana-producing cards in a deck that enable casting spells.

Direct damage spells that deal damage to creatures or players without requiring combat.

A strategy of accelerating mana production to play expensive spells ahead of schedule.

An unexpected card choice designed to counter the specific meta or popular strategies.

A prolonged game state where both players have exhausted resources and are fighting for incremental advantage.

Playing a card at every possible mana value on consecutive turns for maximum efficiency.

The process of verifying a deck list matches the physical deck at tournaments.

A set of extra cards that can be swapped into your deck between games in a match.

An official list restricting how many copies of certain cards can be used in a deck for balance.

A deck-building rule that limits which cards can be included based on color identity.

The playoff portion of a tournament after Swiss rounds, typically single-elimination.

The annual removal of older sets from the Standard format, typically occurring each April.

The standard match format in competitive Pokemon TCG tournaments.

The discard pile where used spells, destroyed creatures, and sacrificed permanents go.

A zone that removes cards from the game entirely. Harder to recover from than the graveyard.

A protected zone where Digimon can safely digivolve before entering the battle area.

Cards stacked under the Vanguard, used as a resource for various abilities and skills.

The resource zone where cards are sent from the top of the deck during attacks, used to pay for abilities.

The discard pile where defeated characters and used events go.

A zone where cards wait before entering the active play area.

A player's deck of spells and magical knowledge in Grand Archive.

A special zone where spell cards are stored and can be activated for ongoing effects.

A zone on the battlefield where summoned creatures appear and can be targeted by effects.

The collection of spells available to a sorcerer, representing their deck of magical knowledge.

One of two combat zones in Star Wars Unlimited where ground units such as troopers and vehicles are deployed.

One of two combat zones in Star Wars Unlimited where space units such as starships and fighters are deployed.