How to Play



The purpose of this article is to help teach players new to the game the fundamentals and rules of Super Smash Bros. Battle cards.

If you have played Pokémon TCG before, Smash Cards play the same way with a minor differences, so it is still advisable to have a quick read through these articles to get a better understanding of the game. Or you can click here to read about the differences to Pokémon TCG instead.

Basic Setup
Smash Card matches can be played with any number of players. (An even number of players is usually prefable.) All players may also decide to play in teams if they wish. Battles are played using 60 cards in a deck. You can only have up to 4 cards with the same name and card type in your deck. The exception to this rule is Basic Energy cards, which have no limit providing that your deck doesn't go over 60 cards. You can only only have 1 copy of each Ex and FS Smasher in your deck. A deck should always contain at least 1 Basic Smasher. (Check Different Types of Cards for more information on each type of card.)

When laying out your cards on the field in a battle, it's always best to lay them out like below.



Deck: This is where you have all of your cards at the beginning of a match. Cards in your deck should always be faced down.

Hand: Cards in your hand are the cards that you can play. Your opponent should not be able to look at the cards in your hand (unless if a certain effect from a card allows them to).

Active Smasher: The Smasher that can attack.

Benched Smasher: Smashers that can't attack but can't directly be attacked by most attacks. You can only have up to 5 Smashers on your Bench.

Stage cards: Where Stage cards are played. The effects of Stage cards usually apply to all players in a match.

Discard Pile: Where discarded cards are sent to. Discarded cards can't be used and aren't considered to be in play, but discarded cards can be brought back using certain effects from another card.

Prize Cards: This is where Prize cards should be layed out during a standard match or a match type that uses Prize cards. Prize cards should always be facing down.

Different Types of Cards
Below are a variety of different types of cards you can use to your advantage.

Turn Order
At the beginning of any game, each player draws 7 cards from the top of their deck. If a player has at least 1 Basic Smasher, that player must play that Smasher as their Active Smasher faced down. If you have any more Basic Smashers in your hand, you may play them on your Bench faced down. If you do not have any Basic Smashers in your hand, show your hand to your opponent (this is called a Mulligan). Then you can shuffle your hand into your deck and draw another 7 cards. Repeat the process until you have a Basic Smasher.

After both players have played Basic Smashers, if both players are playing with Prize cards, each player puts the top 6 cards from their deck faced down as Prize cards. If neither player has had any Mulligans or have the same number of Mulligans, both players must decide who goes first by flipping a coin. The player who guesses the outcome of the coin flip correctly gets to go first. You can also use a 6-sided die to determine the turn order instead, even numbers are treated as heads, while odd numbers are treated as tails. If a player has more Mulligans than their opponent, their opponent gets to go first instead. This is when both players can turn their Smashers in play face up.

Below is the list of actions in order you take during your turn:


 * 1. Draw a card.


 * 2. Do any of the following:


 * Put a Basic Smasher onto your Bench. (Providing your Bench isn't full with 5 Smashers.)
 * Attach an Energy card to 1 of your Smashers. (Can only be done once per turn.)
 * Evolve a Smasher. (Can't be done during your first turn or during the turn you put that Smasher into play. You also can't evolve a Smasher if it has already evolved during the same turn.)
 * Play an FS Card ontop of your Active Smasher. (Can't be done during your first turn, but can be done during the turn you put that Smasher into play.)
 * Play a Support card. (Can't be done during either player's first turn.)
 * Use any of your Smashers' Smash Powers
 * Retreat your Active Smasher. (Can only be done once per turn.)
 * 3. Attack with your Active Smasher.

'Any effects that require you to flip a coin can instead be done with a 6-sided die. Even numbers are treated as heads while odd numbers are treated as tails'

After you've attacked with your Active Smasher, your turn is over and your opponent begins their turn. Check Game Types for more information on the different types of matches you can play, their rules, and requirements for winning.

Game Types
<p style="text-align: justify;">Below are the variety of game types you can play in Super Smash Bros. Battle Cards. The pages for each game type contains the rules and requirements for winning the match.

Special Conditions
<p style="text-align: justify;">Special Conditions are negative effects that aid in Knocking Out a Smasher or preventing them from attacking. Click here to read more about Special Conditions.

F.A.Q.
<p style="text-align: justify;">Click here to go to Crimson Castle Forum's F.A.Q. topic where you can ask various questions about the rules and cards used in Super Smash Bros. Battle Cards.