Xeno Card

Xeno Card is a minigame in Xenosaga Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht. It is a virtual trading card game.

Card game rules
The player must have the Card Passport in order to play the minigame. The Card Passport can be obtained from a robot in the bar of the Elsa. The player can play the game at any Save Points that also have the blue EVS symbol appearing above them. The player can obtain additional cards by buying a Starter Pack or Card Pack from many stores throughout the game. There are also special promo card packs that can be obtained at various places in the world.

Win conditions
The goal of the card game is to force the opponent to run out of cards in their deck before the player does. A deck can be depleted in the following ways:


 * Each time a player draws a card, their deck will be depleted by one.


 * Many cards carry a cost, which requires a specified number of cards to be moved from the deck to the lost pile.


 * If a player is able to directly attack an opponent's deck, a number of cards equal to the points of damage dealt must be moved to the lost pile.

A player will instantly lose the game as soon as their deck is reduced to 0 cards.

Deck construction
The player's deck cannot contain more than 40 cards, nor more than 3 of any single card. The player has the ability to create up to 5 different decks.

The player will be provided a beginning deck of 40 cards when receiving the Card Passport. The starter deck also contains a deck of 40 cards. These two decks each have a predetermined list of cards. Card Packs contain 10 cards, of which 1 is rare, 2 are uncommon and 7 are uncommon. Once a player has 3 of a given card, any duplicates are not retained. Card Packs 1 and 2 contain a unique list of possible cards. 19 cards are not obtainable through these means. 2 (Swim Suit Shion and Swim Suit Momo) can be won via Card Tournaments. The other 17 cards are contained within Promo Card Packs, which can either be found in the world or purchased via the Casino Passport.

Playing Field
The playing field is made up of the following areas:


 * Standby Area - Battle cards that are played must first be placed in the standby area unless otherwise indicated on the card. Starting on the turn after they are placed, battle cards placed here can be moved to the battlefield. Battlefield cards can also be moved back to the standby area. There are a maximum of four cards that can be placed in the standby area.


 * Hand Cards - Cards in the player's hands, which can be used in the applicable phase as long as the cost and requirements on the card can be met. While there is no limit to the number of cards that can be in a player's hand during most of their turn, during the adjust phase, the player must discard down to six.


 * Deck - The player's draw pile. The number of cards remaining in the deck is considered the player's life.


 * Battlefield - Up to 4 battle cards (plus any equipped weapons) can be placed in the battle area. During the battle phase they will attack the enemy. Two are located in the front row and two are located in the back row.


 * Situation Area - Situation cards are placed here.


 * Junk Pile - Any battle or situation cards that have been used and destroyed are placed here, as well as any event cards that are used and any cards that are discarded from the player's hand. These cards are considered out of the game unless an effect enables them to be retrieved.


 * Lost Pile - Cards that have been discarded from the deck by damage or have been lost due to an effect of another card are placed here. These cards are considered out of the game unless an effect enables them to be retrieved.

Card types

 * Battle Cards - Battle Cards are cards that can be placed on the battlefield. They comprised of six subtypes, Human, Realian, Mech, Gnosis, Unknown or Weapon. Weapons cannot be placed on the battlefield on their own but rather must be equipped to a card of another subtype. Each non-weapon Battle Card has a HP and Attack value. Weapons only have an Attack value.


 * Event Cards - Event cards are one time use cards. They can be used during a player's Event phase, or during the Block phase of an opponent's turn.


 * Situation Cards - Situation cards are placed in the situation area and remain there permanently unless they are destroyed or discarded according to the conditions on the card.

Attack types
Each Battle Cards carries one of the following attack types:


 * Hand - Cards with Hand attacks can only attack an enemy card that appears directly in front of them. They cannot attack an opponent's deck.


 * Ballistic - Cards with the Ballistic attack will fire upon whatever opponent card is closest to them, regardless of whether it is in the opponent's front row or back row. If there is no opponent card in their direct path, they will attack the opponent's deck.


 * Spread - Spread attacks will attack all cards on the opponent's battlefield.


 * Homing - Homing attacks will ignore any cards on the opponent's battlefield and directly hit the opponent's deck.


 * Penetrates - In the event a card of this type destroys an opponent's card in battle, any remaining attack value that exceeds the remaining HP of the opponent's card will carry over to either the card behind the opponent's card, or the opponent's deck if there is no card behind the opponent's card.

Turn phases
Each turn consists of the following phases:


 * Draw Phase - The player draws one card from their deck.


 * Move Phase - Cards can be moved from the standby area to the battlefield and vice versa. Card positions can also be rearranged on the battlefield.


 * Event Phase - Event cards can be played by the player. The opponent can have the opportunity to counter an event card if able. Events from battle cards or situation cards will also be triggered.


 * Set Phase - One battle card and one situation card can be played, unless a card has a special effect allowing more to be played. Battle cards will be placed in the standby area unless they have a special effect permitting otherwise.


 * Block Phase - The opponent can play event cards. The player will have the opportunity to counter them if able. During the opponent's turn, the player will have ability to play event cards. Effects from battle cards or situation cards can also be triggered.


 * Battle Phase - Cards on the battlefield will attack the enemy battlefield. Any "E" marks on cards will disappear.


 * Adjust Phase - If the player has more than 6 cards in their hand, they will have to discard to that number.

Card Status Effects

 * Downed - A card that is downed cannot attack during the battle phase and will return to normal on the player's next card.


 * E mark - Some cards have an E mark on them when they are first played. Cards with an E mark cannot count as a requirement for another card, and do not utilize their effect. The E mark is removed during the next battle phase.

Other Card Information

 * Playable character cards typically can only have one of said named character on the field at a time. Lv 1 cards can typically be replaced by Lv 10 cards of the same character for no or reduced cost/requirements.


 * Realians and Weapons, typically do not count against the one card per turn rule. Certain gnosis do not count against the one card per turn rule.


 * Many mech cards, as well as cards with spread-type attacks can only attack every other turn.


 * Gnosis cards typically require one or two human cards to be discarded in order to play.

Available Games

 * Exhibition - The player will play one game against a random computer opponent. One of the two Card Packs will be received as a prize for winning.


 * Tournament - The player will play five consecutive games against random computer opponents. The player cannot change their deck between games. For each round won, the player will receive one of the Card Packs. If the player wins all five games, they will receive a Tuned Circuit (the first time won) and either a Swim Suit Shion or Swim Suit Momo card (subsequent times won).


 * 2P Battle - Two players can play against each other using separate controllers. No prizes can be won.

List of Opponents

 * Shion & Ziggy
 * Hammer Attack
 * Citizens Unite
 * VX Attack
 * Gnosis Attack
 * Big Spender Matthews
 * Girl Power
 * Human Touch
 * Homing Attack
 * Realian Blitz
 * Cool Attacks
 * Momo to the Rescue
 * Attack of the Gnosis
 * Event Attack
 * Common Deck
 * The Elsa Crew
 * Bespectacled Attack!
 * Standard Attack
 * Flat Broke
 * All-Stars
 * Reset
 * Imminent Death
 * Realians
 * Shion & Jr
 * Man and Machine
 * Homing Rampage!
 * The Way of the Sword
 * The Zohar
 * The Menacing Glare
 * Albedo Striks Back
 * Blitz Attack
 * The Boyz
 * Uncommon Deck
 * Virgil Attacks
 * Pandemonium!
 * A.G. The Anti-Gnosis
 * The Big Bluff
 * MHG Combo
 * Phase Transition Cannon
 * Gnosis-Machine Combo