
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,413
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Yomi (Second Edition)
- 1–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2014

2016
Rules assistance for Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by David Sirlin and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Simultaneous Action Selection.
Yomi is a fighting game in card form in which physical dexterity is replaced by hand management skills. Just like in a fighting game, you have to know your character, know the matchup, and know your opponent. Each character has a deck that follows the same conventions as deck of playing cards. This makes it easy to learn the contents of your deck: numbered cards are normal moves, face cards are special moves, and aces are super moves. More specifically, Yomi is a competitive card game specifically designed and balanced to hold up to tournament play with many years of playtesting and tournaments behind it. It tests the skills of valuation and Yomi. Valuation refers to your ability to judge the relative value of moves (or cards) as they change over the course of the game. Yomi, the game's title, refers to your ability to "read" the patterns that your opponent unconsciously falls into. It's designed for high level play to be as interesting as possible and as balanced as possible. Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina features two character decks, allowing players to face off immediately. Individual character decks allow new matches to be fought between different pairings. Game Modes 1v1, the main mode 2v2 Team Battle, inspired by video games such as Marvel vs Capcom A solo mode to learn basic proficiency against an automated opponent A 3v3 mode (can be played as 1v1 with multiple characters) inspired by video games such as King of Fighters Gameplay Each player shuffles their deck and draws an opening hand of seven cards. Turns are simultaneous and players draw one card per turn. Each player plays a combat card face down, then reveals the cards simultaneously. Resolve combat. Blocking an attack lets you draw a card; hitting with an attack or throw allows you to combo more cards from your hand; dodging an attack lets you hit back with a single move. Bluff phase. After it's resolved who won combat, but before any combos are played, the player who might get hit by a combo can play a facedown Joker or bluff card. After the attacker finishes their combo, reveal that facedown card. If it's a Joker, the combo does no damage. If it's a non-Joker card, the combo does full damage as usual. Power up: Players can discard pairs, 3-of-a-kinds, or 4-of-a-kinds to search their decks for Aces (super moves). Also, if they performed any chain combos (straights of sequential normal attacks, such as a 2,3,4,5) that turn, they can also search for Aces. The game ends when one player is reduced to 0 life, or when one player draws the last card of their deck. In that case, time is out and the player with the highest life wins. Note Contained in: Yomi (Second Edition) Yomi: Round 1
Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina 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 Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina is 15–30 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 Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina 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.
Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina has a complexity rating of 2.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Simultaneous Action Selection. 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 Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina are: David Sirlin. 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 Yomi Starter Set: Grave versus Jaina 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.