Yomi Ruleset

This page contains an overview of the Yomi rules.

The official rules for Yomi can be found on the Sirlin Games website: Yomi rules (links to a PDF document).

Starting the Game[]

Remove you character card from your deck and set it aside for reference.
Shuffle your deck then draw 7 cards.
You start with an amount of life particular to your character. The game ends when one player is reduced to zero life or less and loses.

Turn Structure[]

(simultaneous for both players)

Draw Phase (skip on first turn)

Draw a card

Combat Phase

Play a face-down card as the combat card

Reveal both players' combat cards simultaneously

Determine combat winner

Loser can play face-down Joker to avoid more damage, or a bluff card, or discard his combat card to signify he's skipping this step

Winner plays combos if applicable

Reveal, discard Joker/bluff card

Discard remaining combat cards at end of combat

Power-up Phase

Discard pairs, 3-of-a-kinds, or 4-of-a-kinds to search for aces.
Search for more aces if you hit with a chain combo this turn.

Combat[]

During combat, you and your opponent play a card face down, then reveal them simultaneously . Most cards have a different move at each end, and the end toward your opponent is your choice that turn.

What beats what?

Attacks beat throws then let you continue your combo using the combat card as the first hit of the combo.

Throws beat blocks and dodges then usually let continue your combo using the combat card as the first hit of the combo.

Blocks stop attacks and Jokers. When you block an attack or Joker, draw a card. As long as you dont lose combat, return your block card to your hand.

Dodges avoid attacks and Jokers and let you retaliate with a single attack or throw (any attack or throw you do becomes an Ender).

Jokers beat attacks and throws and let you search your deck for up to two aces.

Speed (Tie-Breaker)

Between two attack or two throws, the faster speed wins (lower speed stat is faster). If both attacks have the same speed, they both hit and deal damage, but no further combos or damage pumps are allowed. If two throws have the same speed, neither throw hits; discard them both.

Combos

When you hit with an attack or throw, you can continue the combo, using the combat card as the first hit as the combo. Each move lists its combo points and a character can only do a combo as big as his Combo Limit each turn.

Knockdowns

Moves with the knockdown icon knock down if you do not follow up with a combo afterwards. When you are knocked down, next combat you cannot dodge and you can be hit by mixup normals (can't block odd numbered nomal attacks (#s 2-10) with even numbered blocks, and vice versa). Face cards can be blocked by any block.

Combo Rules

An Ender makes you combo end immediately.

A Starter can only start a combo.

After a Linker, you can combo into a normal attack, Linker, or Ender. A Linker can be used at any point in a combo.

Can't Combo cards can not precede or follow any other attacks or throws.

You can chain combo normal attacks in increasing sequential order (e.g.: 2,3,4,5; face cards and Aces aren't normal attacks.)

Rewind Time (avoid combos)

If you lose combat and further hits are possible, you can play a card face down, then the opponent continues his combo. When he's finished, you reveal and discard your face-down card.

If it was a Joker, you don't take damage from any cards your opponent played while your Joker was face down, and you draw 2 cards. Other effects like knock down and drawing Aces due to a chain combo are not prevented by the Joker. If it was a non-Joker, it was just a bluff that had no effect. Playing a non-Joker this way can trick the opponent into stopping his combo early.

Powering Up[]

At the end of each turn, you have a chance to power up by searching you deck and discard pile for Aces (supers). You may discard:

A pair for... 1 Ace
3-of-a-kind for... 2 Aces
4-of-a-kind for... 3 Aces

Hitting with chains (straights) in a combo during combat also lets you search for Aces during the Power-up phase, no extra discards required.

3 normal attacks in a row... 1 Ace
4 normal attacks in a row... 2 Aces
5 normal attacks in a row... 3 Aces
6 normals (Valerie only)... 4 Aces

Extra Costs

Some moves let you discard extra cards to pump up your damage. These extra cards do count as part of your combo, but they don't cost extra combo points. Some Ace moves have mandatory costs that require you to discard extra Aces as soon as you reveal an Ace in combat.

Special Abilities[]

Each character has an innate ability on his character card. Each deck also has two or three other special abilities with four copies each. Special abilities are in a brown-bordered box in the middle of those cards.

Initiative and Timing

Occasionally you and your opponent might both want to play abilities at the same time. The player who started the turn with the lower life total has initiative for the turn and has the first chance to play abilities at each step. If your life totals are tied as the turn starts, play rock, paper, scissors to determine who has initiative that turn.

Abilities resolve immediately when they are played unless they are countered. Play as many abilities as you want in a row, then you opponent gets a chance to play his. Go back and forth this way until you both pass, then you must go to the next step.

Countering Abilities

A few abilities can "counter". Play the counter after the opponent plays any activation costs, then prevent and undo the entire ability (including costs) as if it never happened. Your opponent discards the ability card if he played it from his hand.