Naruto Card Game card types explained

Bandai has confirmed five card types. Each one has its own back and its own job on the table, and knowing them is the first step to reading any card.

Leader

The Leader stays in play the whole game with 15 LIFE and sets the colour of your deck. It shows DMG and POW, an effect and the Recovery ability that turns your Chakra face-up again from the second turn.

Character

Characters make up most of the deck and fight on the front line. Each has DMG, POW and HP, and many carry a Support: a technique with a Chakra cost and a timing that can be used even on the opponent's turn.

EX Character

EX Characters are powerful cards that cannot be summoned normally. They list Summon Requirements, such as placing Characters in the trash, and often have Rush or a strong On Summon effect.

Chakra

You play with exactly 5 Chakra cards outside the deck. Turning one face-down pays 1 point of cost, and they are how you pay for Supports and Leader effects. The CP-001 promos are Chakra cards too.

Summon

Each player has 1 Summon card. You rest it to bring a Character into play. Bandai has not yet detailed when it stands back up.

How do you read DMG, POW, HP and LIFE?

DMG sits top left and is the damage dealt to a Leader, POW sits top right and is combat strength, HP is a Character's toughness and LIFE is the Leader's 15 points. Under the name you find traits such as element, clan, village and team, which other effects refer to.