Official Wei Schwarz Guide Book

v.1.0

About this Manual

Welcome to Wei Schwarz (alternatively Weiss Schwarz)Trading Card Game. Before using
this manual, be sure to read the Quick Manual, which contains all the information you
need to know to start the game. If you begin playing and then become unsure about
something, thats when this guide really comes in handy. Here, youll find information
providing the answers to a wide range of frequently asked questions. If, after reading
these supplemental rules, you still want to know even more specific details, please refer to
the official Japanese Wei Schwarz (Weiss Schwarz) website at http://ws-tcg.com/ or feel
free to contact Bushiroad Australia.

Card Notations
1. Icons
1) Ability Type Icons

Automatic Ability Denotes an Automatic Ability. When certain conditions

are met, this ability can be activated automatically.

Startup Ability Denotes a Startup Ability. By paying the cost which is written
inside the brackets, a player can select and use this ability. Normally, Startup
Abilities can only be activated in your Main Phase.

Continuous Ability Donates a Continuous Ability. This abilitys effect is
applied constantly.
2) Character Status Icons
The Characters on Stage will be placed in one of the following states.

Standing up The character is standing up, meaning the card will be

turned upwards.

Resting The Character is resting, meaning the card is turned sideways.

Knocked out The character is knocked out, meaning the card will be turned
upside-down.

3) Timing Icons

Counter-Attack Shows the card can be used to make a counter-attack.

When your opponent makes a frontal attack against you, you can use this card or
its Startup Ability during the Counter-Attack Step.

4) Trigger Icon
Each card is marked with a Trigger Icon. By picking up a card in the Trigger Step after you
have declared an attack, you can unleash the effect which that Trigger Icon represents.

[Soul] Increase the attacking characters Soul Points by 1 for the duration of the
turn.

[Soul x2] Increase the attacking characters Soul Points by 2 for the duration of the
turn.

[Return] Select one enemy character and return them to your opponents hand.

[Pool] Pick up the top card from your Deck and place it in your Stock.

[Come Back] Select one Character Card from your Waiting Room and return it to
your hand.

[Draw] Draw one card from your Deck.

[Shot] If your current attacking Characters damage is cancelled, deal 1 damage

to your opponent.

[Treasure] Put the card in your hand. Then you may pick up the top card from your
Deck and place it in your Stock.

2. Special Punctuation Marks

1) Brackets and Quote Marks
(
):

Contains various comments. Provide informal explanations that help you

understand the game better.

[
]:
Shows cost. Explain what has to be performed to use certain abilities or
effects.

:
Used to specify the name of a card, ability, special attributes, or various other

important information. (Single quotes (
) will also be used when
appropriate).
2)

Containing Numbers

Numbers written within a

cost.

show how many cards must be paid from your Stock as a

3. Keyword Abilities
1) Alarm
An ALARM is a Continuous Ability whose effect is unleashed when that card is on top of
the Clock Area.
2) Encore
An ENCORE [cost] is an Automatic Ability. After taking a character from your Stage and
placing it in the Waiting Room, pay the specified cost and return that character to the
same stage position in a resting state.
3) Assist
An ASSIST is a Continuous Ability whose effect is unleashed when that character is in the
back stage. Each stage position on the back stage is connected to two stage positions
on the centre stage. When the effect contains the phrase the characters in front of this
card in its text, the Assist will then apply to characters in the two proceeding stage
positions.
4) Bond
A BOND/card name [cost] is an Automatic Ability. By playing that Character Card,
placing it on Stage, and then paying the specified cost, you can select one card with the
designated card name from your Waiting Room and return it to your hand.
5) Backup
A BACKUP X, Level Y [cost] is a Startup Ability. When that card is in your hand and a
frontal attack is launched against one of your characters, you can use its effect during
the Counter-Attack Step of your opponents Attack Phase if your level is equal to or
greater than Y. By paying the specified cost (including cases when that card, itself, must
be sent to the Waiting Room), select the character who is being attacked and increase
their Power by X for the duration of the turn.
6) Bodyguard
A BODYGUARD is a Continuous Ability whose effect is unleashed when that card is in a
standing up or resting state while placed in the central stage position on the centre stage.
When the enemy character then attacks another one of your characters, if this effect
has been unleashed your opponent will make a frontal attack against the character who
possesses the BODYGUARD ability in place instead.
7) Brainstorm
A BRAINSTORM is an ability whose effect can vary. It can be activated by some Event
Cards and Startup Abilities. Take the required number of cards from the top of your Deck
and place them in the Waiting Room. The effect that occurs changes based on the cards
your placed in the Waiting Room.

8) Change
A CHANGE is a Automatic Ability. By playing that Character Card, placing it on Stage,
and then paying the specified costs, you can select one card with the designated
card name from your Waiting Room and replace the CHANGE card and send the
CHANGE card in the Waiting Room.
9) Experience
An EXPERIENCE is a Continuous Ability whose effect is unleashes when the total number
is in your Level Area. The Experience is determined by the Level of each cards Levels
added up together in your Level Area.

In-Depth Rules
1. Important Principles
1.

When the card text is inconsistent with the rules, priority will be given to the card
text.

2.

When a player is requested to perform an action that is impossible to carry out,

that action will not be executed.

3.

When a player is requested to perform an action that can be only be partially

carried out, that action will be executed to the greatest extent possible.

4.

When to effects one which requests a certain action be executed and one
which forbids that action are used at the same time, priority will be given to the
latter effect.

5.

When both players are required to make some kind of selection at the same time,
the player whose turn it is will choose first.

2. Card Text and Player Boundaries

1.

Unless specifically noted, effects written in the text of a Character Card can
be only be unleashed when that character is on stage. In addition, phrases like
one of your characters on Stageare simply written in the text as one of your
characters.

2.

Unless specifically noted, effects written in the text of a Climax Card can be only
be unleashed when that card is in the Climax Area. In addition, phrases like a
Climax Card in your Climax Area are simply written in the text as a Climax Card.

3.

Unless specifically noted, effects written in the text of an Event Card can only be
unleashed when you play that card.

4.

Cards cannot be moved across an opponents boundaries. For example, when

the effect of one of your cards requires that an opponents Characters Card be
returned to the hand, that one will be placed in your opponents hand.

3. Sending Cards to the Waiting Room

1.

When a characters Power is reduced to zero or lower, they will be placed in the
Waiting Room.

2.

When multiple characters are placed in the same stage position, all of the cards,
except for the last character to be placed, will be placed in the Waiting Room.
If the characters were all placed at the exact same time, then all the cards will be
placed in the Waiting Room.

3.

In the Encore Step of the Battle Phase, all knocked out characters will be sent to
the Waiting Room one by one. At that time, a character can be called for en
ENCORE and returned to the same stage position.

4. Order for resolving simultaneously Activated Effects

Follow the steps listed below when a multiple number of rules must be resolved and both
players have activated Automatic Abilities.
1.

Resolves all of the rules at the same time.

2.

The player whose turn it is resolves all of the Automatic Abilities they have
activated in the order or their choice.

3.

The other players resolve all of the Automatic Abilities they have activated in the
order of their choice.

When an additional Automatic Abilities is activated while the other Automatic Abilities are
still being resolved, the newest Automatic Ability will be resolved at the same time as the
remaining Automatic Abilities.

5. Card Placement Order

The cards contained in the Deck, Clock Area, and Stock have a specific order. They
cannot arrange as you like. However, if multiple cards are placed in one of these areas
at the same time, their owner can freely choose the order of the cards unless some other
special rule applies.
When a new card is placed in one of these areas, it should be placed on top of any
existing cards unless you are directed to do otherwise. In the same way, when a card
is removed from one of these areas, the topmost card should be taken unless another
action is specified.

6. Markers
Depending on its text, a card known as a Marker may be placed at the bottom of
another card.
1.

Make sure that the Marker is placed at the bottom of the other card. It cannot be
placed on the stage or in the Climax Area.

2.

Markers should be placed face-down and one can be stacked on top of another.
You cannot, however, choose the order of your Markers freely. Always place a
new Marker on top of any existing Markers. If a marker needs to be removed, be
sure to take away the topmost Marker.

3.

When a card with Markers placed on it is moved to an area other than another
stage position, all of its Markers will be sent to the Waiting Room. On the other
hand, when a Character Card with Markers placed on it moves from one stage
position to another, its Markers will be accompany it to its new location.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Can I place two or more cards with the same card name on Stage at the
same time?
Yes, you can.

2) Can I play a card during my opponents turn?

The answer is no in most cases, but there is one exception. When your opponent makes
a frontal attack against you, you can play a card marked with a Counter-Attack Icon
one time during the Count-Attack Step.

3) Can I use a Startup Ability during my opponents turn?

The answer is no in most cases, but there is one exception. When your opponent makes
a frontal attack against you, you can use Startup Ability marked with a Counter-Attack
Icon one time during the Counter-Attack Step.

4) Can I use two cards as BACKUP?

No, you cannot. You can only use one card or Startup Ability during the Counter-Attack
step.

5) Can I use a BACKUP during my own turn?

No, you cannot.

6) Can I block an opponents attack with a character who is not placed

directly in front of the enemy character?

There is no rule about blocking attacks in this game. A battle will be conducted
whenever a player makes a frontal attack. But other than when a card ability such as
BODYGUARD is activated, there is no way for a character to participate in the battle
unless they are directly in front of the attacking character.

7) Can I block an opponents attack with a character who is resting?

There is no rule about blocking attacks in this game. If the character directly in front of
the attacking character is in a resting state, a battle will still result if a frontal attack is
declared, and Soul Points will be reduced if a side attack is selected.

8) When many characters are knocked out, is there a particular order that
needs to be followed when calling for an ENCORE?

During the Encore Step, the player whose turn it is first selects one of their knocked out
characters. They may call for an ENCORE after sending that card to the Waiting
Room. That player then repeats these actions until they no longer have any knocked out
characters left. At that point, the player also resolves things in the exact same way.

9) I am Level 2 and there are six cards in my Clock Area and one card in my
Deck during my Clock Phase. How do I resolve things when another card is
placed in my Clock Area?
You can resolve this by the following the steps listed below.
1.

Select one of the cards in your hand and place it in the Clock Area.

2.

Choose one of the cards in your Clock Area and place it in the Level Area. This
will increase your level. Next, send the remaining six cards in the Clock Area to the
Waiting Room.

3.

Draw one card from your Deck.

4.

Shuffle all of the cards in your Waiting Room to make a new Deck.

5.

Draw one card from your Deck.

6.

Pick up one card from the top of your Deck and place it in the Clock Area.

Specific Tournaments notes

One important term for judges to take note of is IMMEDIATE RULE RESOLUTION. This
term refers mainly to Level Up and Deck Refresh which happen as soon as they
occur interrupting briefly any action on effect. One thing most players dont know
is what happens when the two happen simultaneously. The player who is affected
by both gets to choose whether to Level Up or Deck Refresh first, as currently there
is no set preference to the two.

Theres a few deck formats that can be used for tournaments:

Standard: Made up of any cards.

Neo-Standard: You choose 1 series to play from (e.g. Nanoha series can
use cards from StrikerS, As, Movie 1st, etc)
Heres a list of the series that are considered Neo-standard even when
mixed together:

Persona 3 and Persona 4.

Nanoha StrikerS, Nanoha As, Nanoha Movie 1st and Nanoha Vivid.
Little Busters!, Little Busters! Ecstasy and Kud Wafter.
Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, Fate/Unlimited Codes and Kara no
Kyoukai.
DC/DC II and DC/DCII Plus Communication.
Melty Blood and Kara no Kyoukai.
Sora no Kakeru Shoujo and Mai Hime/Otome.
Angel Beats! and Kud Wafter.
To Aru Majutsu no Index and To Aru Kagaku no Railgun.

Side Restricted: Decks can only be made of either Schwarz (Black) or Weiss
(White) side cards.

Title Restricted: Decks can only be made of cards from a single titles.