Cardfight!! Vanguard - Detailed How to Play [1/2] 

"Here"... Where??

I've been playing this game for awhile, and after the initial confusion that any game usually gives, it actually becomes a very fun game. It literal entails both players walking on a razor's edge, utilizing both the cards on the field, hand, and the damage they accumulated into a means to combat the opponent. With good hand management, deck building skill, and no less amount of luck, the game plays out to every decision you make from beginning to end, no matter how minor you may think they are.

you said trigger so many times i got triggered

at the first part, what the fuck where is it?

I find this game is 10x more confusing to explain than to play..I've been watching people play each other and with the help of the anime im kind of understanding

Thank you very much. I am very new to vanguard, and had some uncertainties on reading the rules. But this video is the best guide I found so far. Now I can go forth and play this game. Thanks guys :)

Each player has the option to mulligan any number of cards in their opening hand, but can only perform this mulligan once. After redrawing your new hand, you are stuck with it, so it's important to give the mulligan some thought.

so this is how it feels when i try to explain magic to my friends xD

Watch the first episode, it explains everything. There's more complexity, but it makes it more fun that way. It also opens up a lot more for strategy.

Kudos to explaining this so well. I tried to explain this to my brother, after 30 minutes I said screw it! Told him to watch the damn anime.

how i wish more english stores stocked vanguard :(

I really like that I was able to get good cards while spending less money. When I got into Magic I found that making solids decks took far too much time (I refuse to net deck) and money. The people who play locally have been very nice to me as well.

Oh! I think u forgot to say "stand up vanguard !"

When you play Vanguard you have to scream each action you do to get the full game effect!

for anyone having trouble understanding this explanation, watch the first episode of the anime, gives all the play basics and slowly explain each trigger+uses and unit effects as well

It's actually really easy to learn. It didn't take me too long to catch on. There are some rules that some people won't get right away, but that's applicable to all games.

I played this game when I was in year 8 till year 9 I think. I stopped playing once puberty kicked in which was like 4 - 5 years ago and my deck got put in the attic with my Beyblades I got them back today because we are sweeping out the attic because we are moving houses and mannnnn it's nice to see a part of your child hood.

GX was a great addition to the series and made the game look much less dull and dark, originals arn't always the best. Funny how most critics can't do anything better than what they are criticizing. You have your opinion.

Grade 3 is the only Grade that can be ridden over by the same Grade, since Grade 3 is the highest Grade (minus the 1 Grade 4 that was playable for a limited amount of time and probably won't come back) this is allowed so that players can have multiple possible Vanguards/Vanguard Strategies.

Advice: attack first with rearguards

i quit yugioh to play this, one of the best desicions ever made by me because im the 2nd best at my local cardstore

yes you can,like crossride or breakrides you may.you can ride any unit that is 1 grade higher or same.hope this helps

Thanks Dane cook I really appreciate it because it helped me learn how to play the game. You sound like Dane cook no harm intended

pay the cost refers to either soul charging dropping a card from your hand dropping the top card of your deck to the drop zone or counterblast a card

No, it is optional. You can choose to do it or not - even if your opponent choose to or not.

For sure. Early Dec release date for English Blaster Blade and Dragonic TD, and Set 1 BP.

It depends on where you live I guess. 1 of the 3 card shops near where I live is the place where Vanguard is played the most. Though from what I heard is it picked up much steam in California. I live in Washington, and Vanguard seems to do alright since it was a new card game, and all.

I use to play this when it first came out I or got how to play tho. I never forgot how to play yugioh Pokemon is hell hard to understand

If you guys are still lost, I would recommend the Cardfight!! Vanguard anime, it goes into even greater detail regarding the basics and more advanced techniques of the game.

I have a Gold Paladin, and Royal paladin deck, and I am now working on making a Shadow Paladin deck then a Hybrid of all three Clans. For those who do not know.a clan is it the army that a card or unit belongs to.

glad that some guy with a clear and great voice is talking this out, and you did a good job explaining in a bit of a professional way for us fans. thumbs up if you are interested in this card game cuz u watched the anime? =D cuz i dont know how the heck people wud want to play this if they haven't heard of the anime....but then again thats prob highly prob with foreigners.....

The rule is you can ride the same grade or 1 higher. There are a lot of grade 3 units that were designed to be ridden on top of other grade 3 units. But it is also possible, though not wise, to ride a Grade 1 over a Grade 1 or a 2 over a 2. However, you can't ride a lower grade, such as riding a grade 1 over a 2.

I really like this game. I have an Aqua Force deck. This game is more about luck than strategy. It seems complicated but it really isn't. You just have to know how to add critical triggers to your cards power and how to add a rear guards power to boost the one in front of it.

Aslong as you have face-up damage cards you can counterblast (certain cards re-activate used damage cards)

There are also many ways to make a coin-flip or dice roll that is, in practical terms, impossible to cheat. For example, both players, take their own coins, player A chooses "equal", player B chooses "different", their both flip their coins at the same time, and if both coins land in the same side (50% chance) player A goes first, if the coins land on different sides (50% chance) player B goes first.

you do not have to play rock paper scissors to decide who goes first or second,you can just decide randomly and when you want to reshuffle your opponent does not need to do the same.I apologize if i have offended anyone.

This is generally true but the attack can be conducted in this case due to Wyvern strike, Tejas' ability (which allows to attack the back row instead)

During your turn, power is for attacking, but during your opponent's turn, your power is defensive. If you get a damage trigger, the +5000 power will be helping your unit defensively, since you can't attack on your opponent's turn. Keep in mind that a damage check occurs because you have just taken damage, so that +5000 power boost will only matter if your opponent has more units to attack with. It will not change the outcome of the previous attack. I hope I explained that well haha

I love yugioh and Pokemon, I hope this becomes just as popular in America cuz its awesome.

Vangaurd is geting pretty popular

If u are from Singapore,you can get the starter pack from comics connection for $18, and ur booster pack at the same place or some other place

stand trigger's stand effect can only be used for rearguards so you can't twin drive again because rearguards don't drive

they stopped selling the holy knight packs a few weeks ago they are now selling dragon rampage packs in Walmart. if you were wondering where to buy them and whats out. The holy knight has been out for a few months like 2-3.

@HeartOfTheCardsTCGs Unless they are doing things differently, In the anime, You have the option to redraw cards at the beginning of a match, But i don't remember it being necessary.

I was thinking about something, I thought you can't attack the back row? Guess I was wrong. But it's a good thing I'm rewatching this to understand it more now.

02:19- 02:32 Redrawing cards at the beginning of a game is not required, it's optional.

No. Triggers always do something different but for the most part, they never prevent damage. Heal triggers will heal 1 damage but not prevent one.

@BlackTemplarMaster if you have a unit with the ability to attack a back rear then yes.(ie Teahus, as shown in this example game) otherwise, no your rear guards in the back are safe from attack, but you can retire them with card effects

@ckskevin85 It has two skills. the vanguard only skill retires any grade r-guard. the r-guard only skill retires 0, 1, and 2 r-guard.

That's exactly it, you can't toss out an argument just because magic has been around longer. That's like saying yugioh is only popular because there is a cartoon and millions of children want to play it (which may be true). Magic has a huge complexity and thought involved. Watch both games live and see how fast yugioh goes by compared to magic. The MTG Grand Prix and Pro Tours have thounds! of people that attend, and those are the ones with years of experience that even qualify.

definitely agree with you. cardfight is my favourite card game ever.

you can put grade 3s anywhere so long as your vanguard is grade 3, but you really only put grade 1s or 0s in backline, in some cases grade 2s

I am a play of both Magic and yugioh. so believe me when i tell you that magic is better in terms of game play also if you don't go to tournaments then you don't have to follow the set rotation rule. If your just playing a game with friends or at Friday night magic then you don't have to worry about set rotation.

played yes seeing as it's been around since 1993, no other card game has lasted long enough to really compete. But as far as people still playing it and going to tournaments and such i don't think so, seeing as tcg's such as yugioh reached there highest turnout of people at a recent YCS.

MTG Is the most played and most sold TCG at this point in time. Period.

I have started watching the show recently but they have never answered one possibly game breaking question. What prevents you from making an immortal deck by making a deck entirely of cards with heal triggers? If all of your cards have heal triggers than every time you took damage it would be healed, keeping you at one damage no matter what, how could you lose?

no, crossride units are like the perfect form of that grade 3 unit, but ride grade 3 over a grade 3 is called re-ride

There is one rule i would like to know, how much cards are allowed in a deck? 60 cards? 100 cards? what are the maximum cards allowed in ur deck, or is it unlimited

ITS EASY GUYS!!! Once you hit the vangaurd with thee Quantum Mericular Phantom, you must place those cards into your drop zone and end your turn.. however you must have a damage check for the Manicular prism...!! see very eay to understand!! Now go play!!!! CARD FIGHT!!!

Not bad I was surprised when you even talked about Mulligan. I have a question though, I want to buy cards from you and buy some for friends too, but are they in Japanese?

in the anime, Swords only effect monsters that were on the field when it was summoned: EXAMPLE You play Swords while I have all three gods on the field I sacrifice Obelisk and revive him with Monster Reborn, because its the anime Obelisk can attack :)

i love how you need to remember numbers with three zeros in a children card game. and every time you add a new card to your deck you are gonna have to remember a new skill. you also need to remember most skills of your opponent's deck, especially the grade 3 cards. what's even better is that if your card has soul blast skill you need to remember how many cards you have underneath the vanguard. even elementary school kids can do that. and thats only season 1. in season 2 you memorize the limit break skill for your grade 3 cards. and then you have season 3, where you can even do a break ride. theeeen in season 4 you get burned or electrocuted if you lose. i love this game so much it's the best kids game ever. i feel like if our culture decided that kids need to start playing this game in real life our intelligence as a nation is gonna raise so much.

I can't think of a situation when this would matter, but guardians don't decrease the attacker's power, they increase the defenders power.

@iBicycleDeck u can but it is best to have a pure deck with only one clan as some of the abilities cannot activate when there is another clan on the field and u will be on disadvantage

Vanguard should be just as fun as yugioh since it's created by the makers of both yugioh and duel masters, that's why it has some elements of both games while still being it's own creation, plus the anime is good too. With all the overpowered cards in yugioh and magic it's a nice change of pace. But remember vanguard has just started, sooner or later it's going to have overpowered cards too.

Yes, although there are few cards that you would want to do so with. Those cards, such as Battleraizer, allow you to move the card to the rearguard and due to another effect they can be moved into the deck - thus it can be used as an effective starting vanguard and as a trigger, providing an extra space in the deck for another card. (sorry if this makes no sense, I'm rather tired).

It's actually not that complicated once you learn the basics. Trust.

Ikr? Im a person who has polite and good manner type of conversations or debates and stuff. I don't know why some people out there who do that result to name calling and stuff.

i gt a gd tip: in your hand,always have a grade 1,2 or 3 card bcuz it is easier to ride to higher grades and never have grade 0s or trigger units!

Actually, playing rock paper scissors to decide who goes first, is against the rules. From the rulebook: "Randomly determine which player goes first.". There are Rock, Paper, Scissors championships, (with "good" and "bad" players) there are articles online on RPS strategy. So it's not a true random method. Try flipping a coin or rolling a dice.

@MySoulHart yes you can but its mostly useless as the crit has effect and the +5000 is added after damage is applied so has no effect on this battle, but does effect the next attack, which is all choice

You lost me when you flipped over some cards in the damage zone. What does that mean?

Wrong cards can move from rear guard to vanguard if the opponent uses Still Vampire

Regardless, that requires bad intention from the players. With scissors at 29%, rock at 36% and paper at 35%, it's already non-random, even without bad intention from the players. Females are more likely to open paper, as well, so in averange a female player will start first more times than a male player.

I decided to watch this JUST INCASE I am missing a tiny thing because I've only played for about 2 months and I noticed you failed to mention that when draw your beginning hand, the main cards your wanna put back for re-draw are triggers because you wanna be able to draw those and activate them. Just saying

And it's still being printed, and was also the first one out of those three to be created.

Why watch 5 entire episodes when I can learn how to play from this guy in less than 20 minutes?

yes but there many cards in the trial decks that u could do without or get better cards to fill there spots

I'll admit the artwork is what initially got me into the game, being an artist and all; however, the game is extremely fun to play and has always been better than Yugioh.

@TheForbiddenNerd just to say the 1st two decks are coming in december

I've already have the cards (2 decks). And trying to play with my sister. She told me everything to play this. But i can't understand. So i'm trying to read all the books how to play, i must understand this.

Can't wait for the DS game to come out!!!! Hope by that time they'll be a few more card sets.

You're welcome :D, sorry if I sounded a bit stern in that comment, atleast in hindsight it seems rather stern O.o However after watching Episode 58 I saw a vanguard standing after an attack and another drive check happening (2nd attack being initiated at about 8:40, Drive check at 10:50 of the episode)

Hmm, seems interesting, i'm going to try this out. I've seen battles or duels, and it is actually quite amazing. lol.

@iiBord Don't forget Rescue Rabbit - the dino summoning rodent from hell.

Yeah that was my own mistake, the friend who initially taught me how to play taught me the riding rule incorrectly. I learned when another friend rode a grade 2 over a grade 2 so that he could superior ride into a grade 3 from his deck.

I completely agree with you. Except for the part about GX somewhat. GX wasnt all that great, but it wasn't as bad as 5Ds or Zexal.

When Lv3 Vanguard attacks another vanguard, who gets to check first? The attacking Vanguard and their twindrive? Or the defender and their damage check?

Yes, you can ride the same grade. It's called Cross Riding.

Plus Vanguard is a lot cheaper a Starter/Trial deck is $19 AUD and a booster is $4 AUD plus the cards are way better quality in art and feel and lets be honest the awesome looking cards are half the reason we play.

I thought Blaster Blade's skill to retire another card can only be activated if it is not a vanguard.

@Duncesinshiningarmor K is the romanian number for "thousand", so 10k = 10 thousand (10,000).

You couldnt have finished Zexal because it hasnt finished. But 5Ds and Zexal just aren't the same as the orginal. GX was ok because it wasnt much different, and thats when archetypes were introduced. At first they were cool. But then with 5Ds and Zexal, there were too many and the creators where just using it has an excuse because they couldnt come up with just some regular cards. I still remember when the Extra Deck was called the Fusion Deck. And half the time I subconciouslly call it that.

let's not forget dino-rabbit

Too bad I haven't seen this game anywhere in Canada. I would like to play it.

i think the art on these cards are beautiful XD

Great explanation thank u now I need people to play with

Well Magic is the past and the atk points of the creatures are ranged in the ones and tens, yugioh is the present and the monster's atk points are ranged in the thousands, vanguard is the future and the unit's atk points are going to the ten thousands. (notice how it's getting higher) I'm not goinh to be surprised of ten years later a newer game comes out with cards points in the hundred thousands. (that'll probably be difficult to fit onto cards.

Hi, I'm new to the vanguard scene and I have a question. Here's a scenario, I (the vanguard) attack the opponent's rear guard. Immediately after the attack hits and the opponent's rear guard is retired, the opponent moves the rear guard directly behind the retired rear guard to the front row and then intercepts when my second attack targets the opponent's vanguard. Is this possibe during the attacking player's turn?

No, I didn't know that. Thanks for sharing. Will keep this scrap of knowledge.