Rules

In Vanguard, players use cards known as units to try to get the other player to six damage while also using them to protect themselves. Unlike most games which feature different types of cards, such as spells or lands, units are the only cards players have access to in Vanguard. Players attack with their units, defend with their units, and all special abilities come from units. Damage is represented by units, cost systems are represented by units, and even the player is represented by a unit.

The story is that people project themselves as spirits onto a planet called Cray, where there is a big world war going on. Humans on this planet have two abilities, first off, they have the ability to possess one of the units on the planets. This is called a Ride. Secondly, they have the ability to call units as rear guards to back them up. This is a Call.

Rules

Players start by selecting a Grade 0 unit from their deck, which will represent them. These cards are placed face down on the Vanguard circle. Then players draw five cards and get to shuffle back any unwanted cards and draw the same number. Once both players are ready to begin, they say, "Stand up, Vanguard," and flip over their vanguard (yes this is in the rules).

The player who starts does not get to attack. Other than that, players follow this turn structure.

Stand phase: Player stands (untaps) all of their units.

Draw phase: Player draws a card.

Ride phase: Player may ride a Vanguard one grade above (or the same grade as their current Vanguard).

Main phase: Player may call units equal or lower than their Vanguard to their rear guard circles. Players may use units skills that occur during this phase. Players may move rear guards as long as they are kept in the same column.

Battle Phase: Units attack one at a time. Only units in the front row can attack, but grade one and zero units in the back row can boost units in front of them. Rest (tap) the attacking unit and the boosting unit and add the power to the attacking unit. Then select the attack target.

The opponent then has the opportunity to guard by calling one or more units with a grade equal or less than their Vanguard's to the guardian circle. The shield of the opponents guardian is subtracted from the player's unit's power. Afterwards, if the power of the attacking unit is equal to, or greater than, the attack target the attack hits.

-If the attack hits a Vanguard, the player who took the hit reveals the top card of their deck and places it in their damage zone. If it is a trigger it activates before becoming damage.

-If the attack hits a Rear Guard, that unit is retired (placed in the drop zone (discard pile)).

Lastly, if the attacking unit was a Vanguard, then the player performs a drive check after guardians are declared (whether the opponent guards or not). The player reveals the top card of his or her deck and adds it to their hand. If the unit is a trigger, apply its effects first.

Only standing units can attack, so the battle phase ends once no units can attack or when a player ends. Apply any effects that may happen during the end phase, and then repeat this whole sequence for your opponent's turn.

Units

While all cards may be units, there are still different kinds of units. Units are divided into two main categories. Normal Units, and Trigger Units. Units can be any of the four grades (0-3). Additionally, different grades have different skills and traits specific to that grade.

-Grade 0 has the boost ability, which allows it to boost the power of the unit in front of it. Grade 0 units usually have a higher shield than the other grades, with the exception of Draw Triggers.

-Grade 1 units also have the boost ability, but usually have a higher power.

-Grade 2 units have the ability to intercept from the front row. While most units can be used to guard from the hand, Grade 2 units can guard from the field allowing them to attack and then shield, instead of one or the other.

-Grade 3 units have no shield but have an ability called Twin Drive, giving it two drive checks instead of one.

The other type of units are trigger units. Whenever a player attacks with their vanguard or their vanguard takes a hit, the player checks for a trigger. If a trigger is checked, then the player may apply the effect of that trigger. All triggers give a unit of choice +5000 power, but each have a unique effect that is also applied. There are four types of triggers.

-Draw triggers let you draw a card.

-Heal triggers heal a damage if your damage is equal to or greater than your opponent's (before counting the heal trigger if it will be damage).

-Critical triggers give a unit an extra critical (this unit can be different than the one getting the boost), which will cause it to do an extra damage if it hits.

-Stand triggers stand a resting unit, allowing it to have an extra attack. Again, this unit can be different than the one gaining power.

A deck may consist of 16 triggers, and all triggers are Grade 0. All triggers except for draw triggers have 10,000 shield, while draw triggers have 5,000.

A deck consists of 50 units, with no more than four of the same unit. A deck must contain either 16 or 0 triggers. While it is good to focus a deck around a certain clan, these are the only real restrictions.

Skills

Last, is the topic of skills. Skills are the abilities of the units, which play a big factor in games. Of course, different skills can be activated at different times, which are specified by one of three keywords.

-Activate: These can used during the main phase, usually with some sort of cost. These can be activated multiple times.

-Continuous: Will be active at all times. Not optional, unless stated.

-Auto: Will be activated when a certain condition is met (such as when the unit attacks). Many are optional.

Of course, many abilities require a cost to be paid in order to activate. There are three forms of costs. Counterblast, Soul blast, and Limit Break. Additionally, some units will simply tell you that the cost is to discard a card or something else.

-Counterblasts are the most common requirement. They are activatd by flipping the number of damage stated on the card face down.

-Soul Blasts are activated by moving the stated number of units from the soul (underneath the vanguard from previous rides or soul charges) to the drop zone.

-And lastly Limit Break, which is only active when you have a certain amount of damage.

Hope this helps anyone who doesn't know the rules or who needs a reminder. ^ ^