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Duel Masters Trading Card Game
- 2–4 players
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- 2004
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Kaijudo
2012
Rules assistance for Kaijudo
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 20 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Kaijudo
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Kaijudo is a board game released in 2012 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Mike Elliott, Mons Johnson, Ryan Miller, James Hata, Bill McQuillan, Tyler Bielman, Mark Rosewater, Andrew Finch, and Tom LaPille and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
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About the game
This is a reincarnation of TCG "Duel Masters" with some minor changes in rules. Each player has a deck full of creatures and spells. The goal of the game is to finish an opponent with one of your creature's attacks. However, each player is protected by 5 shields, represented by face-down cards from a player's own deck. When your creature attacks an opponent (and is not blocked by another creature) it breaks one of his shields, and the shield card goes to the owner's hand. When your creature attacks a defenseless opponent, you win the game. The game has some similarities with the grandfather of collectible card games - Magic: the Gathering, which is also made by Wizards of the Coast. However, it has two major differences: 1. There is no distinct card class for producing mana. The same cards, representing creatures and spells, can produce mana if placed in the Mana Zone instead of the Battle Zone. This removes what many see as a major flaw of Magic: the Gathering - "mana flood" and "mana screw". 2. There are no instant spells or activated abilities. Therefore, there are far fewer surprises for players from their opponents and also fewer tactical decisions during play. On the other hand, it plays quicker and can be easier for children to learn and understand. Even so, it has strong strategic aspects and fun deck building.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Wizards of the Coast
Questions and answers
Kaijudo supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Kaijudo is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Kaijudo for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Kaijudo has a complexity rating of 1.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Kaijudo belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Kaijudo are: Mike Elliott, Mons Johnson, Ryan Miller, James Hata, Bill McQuillan, Tyler Bielman, Mark Rosewater, Andrew Finch, and Tom LaPille. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Kaijudo as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.