Keyword Mechanics

AMBUSH

Official Definition: During your Mission Phase, if a Ninja card with this Characteristic is in you Chakra area, you can deploy it. This counts as a deployment. Entrance and Hand costs must be met and the “1 Ninja Per turn” rule applies.

Explanation: Ninjas with AMBUSH can be deployed from your Chakra area or your Hand.

Example: Sasuke Uchiha has AMBUSH. This means that he can be deployed from your Hand OR Chakra area. When Sasuke is Deployed from the Chakra area it is considered a Deployment as well as being put in play by AMBUSH, this usually doesn’t matter unless an effect references Ninjas put in play by AMBUSH.

BURST

Official Definition: When this Ninja is put in play, reveal the top card of your Deck. That card remains face up until the end of this turn as long as it remains on top of your Deck. In that case, this Ninja gets +X/+X during this turn, where X = the revealed card’s Entrance cost.

Explanation: When a Ninja with BURST enters play, flip the top card of your deck. That card will remain face up while it is on top of your deck. That Ninja will have +X/+X for the rest of the turn, where X = the Entrance cost of the face up card on top of your deck.

Example: When Naruto Uzumaki enters play, reveal the top card of your deck. If the revealed card was Kakashi Hatake, then Naruto would get +4/+4 for the rest of the turn.

COMBINATION (X)/(X,Y)

Official Definition: When a Jutsu with Combination is used by a Ninja in a Team with another Ninja that match the items listed (X/X, Y), the effect specified will occur when the Jutsu resolves from the Chain. The items can be names, Symbols, Combat Attributes, or Characteristics.

Explanation: When a Jutsu with Combination(X) is played, if the user is in a Team with another Ninja that has X, you get the regular effect of the Jutsu as well as the Combination effect.

Example: Toad Mouth Trap has “Effect: Negate the target” and “Combination (”Ninja Toad”): The user gets +2/+2 during this turn.” If the user of Toad Mouth Trap is in a Team with a “Ninja Toad” Ninja, then when the Jutsu resolved, the target is negated and the user gets +2/+2 during this turn.

DESPERATION

Official Definition: If your opponent has 5 or more Battle Rewards, Activated Abilities of this card can be activated up to twice per turn.

Explanation: Normally, activated effect may only be used once per turn. But if your opponent has 5 or more Battle Rewards, then a Ninja with DESPERATION may have its activated effect used twice per turn.

Example: While your opponent has 5 or more Battle Rewards, you may use Kisame Hoshigaki‘s activated effect twice per turn.

EXPERT (X)

Official Definition: If the user of this Jutsu is or has X, apply this effect when it resolves. Expert either adds an effect to the Jutsu or alters the effect of the Jutsu. If it adds an effect, then the Jutsu’s effects are applied in the order printed. Otherwise, if it alters the Jutsu’s effect, apply the Expert alternation first.

Explanation: When a user of a Jutsu with Expert(X) has or is X, then the Expert effect will apply.

Example: Ferocious Punch has “Expert (Tsunade): You win 1 Battle Reward.” This means that if Tsunade is the user of the Jutsu, you will apply the Expert effect right after the regular effect of the Jutsu.

FLASHPOINT

Official Definition: [Attacker | Mission] (0): Remove this Ninja from the game. At the start of your next turn, move this Ninja card to your Village.

Explanation: During your Mission Phase, you can activate a Ninja with FLASHPOINT. That Ninja is removed from game. At the start of your next turn, that Ninja returns to your Village.

Example: If you activate Hotaru Katsuragi, she will be removed from play. At the start of the next turn, Hotaru will return to play. Then, due to her effect, you will draw a card then discard a card.

GROWTH

Official Definition: During your Mission Phase, a Ninja card in your hand with this Characteristic, can replace a Ninja with the same name in your Village. The Ninja it is replacing cannot have a Growth coin on it. Any status (injured or healthy), effects, cards, or coins are transferred/applied to the replacement Ninja. The replaced Ninja is moved to its owner’s Chakra area. Upon entering play, the replacement Ninja gains a Growth coin. A Ninja cannot be Growth the same turn it is put in play. Multiple Ninjas can be Growth in a single turn as long as none of them where put in play during this turn.

Explanation: If you have a Ninja in play that does not have a GROWTH coin and a Ninja with GROWTH in your hand that shares a name, you can replace the in play Ninja with the Ninja in your hand. Any status, effects, cards, or coins are removed from 1st Ninja and are transferred/applied to the new Ninja. The new Ninja enters play with a GROWTH coin. The replaced Ninja is moved to your Chakra area. This does not count as Deployment.

Example: Alex has an Injured Naruto Uzumaki(n497) in his Village which was put in play last turn. If Alex’s Turn Marker is 3 or greater, during his Mission Phase while the chain is empty, Alex can GROWTH his Naruto Uzumaki(n497) with Naruto Uzumaki(n559) from his hand. n497 is moved to Alex’s Chakra area, n559 is put in play injured with a GROWTH coin. Naruto now has a GROWTH coin. n559 cannot be GROWTH again as long as he has a GROWTH coin.

INHERIT

Official Definition: Valid: When this Ninja would be discarded, remove it from the game instead. In that case, target Ninja you control gets this Ninja cards effect text (except Inherit) as long as it remains in play.

Explanation: When a Ninja with INHERIT is discarded, it is removed from the game and another Ninja you control gains its effect text (except INHERIT).

Example: You control Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha. When Itachi is discarded, he is removed from the game and you can have Sasuke gain Itachi’s effect text.

MASTERY

Official Definition: A Ninja with this Characteristic has the following effect: “Valid: After the effect of a Jutsu, used by this Ninja, is applied, you can discard 1 of your Chakra, that shares a Symbol with the Jutsu, to return that Jutsu to your hand.”

Explanation: When a Ninja successfully uses a Jutsu, you can pay 1 Chakra that shares a Symbol with the Jutsu to return the Jutsu to your hand.

Example: Jiraiya has MASTERY. When this Ninja uses Sage Art: Kebari Senbon and it successfully resolves, you can pay 1 Lightning Chakra to return the Jutsu to your hand.

NON-UNIQUE

Official Definition: A Ninja with this characteristic has the following effect: “Valid: This Ninja (card) can be put in play or moved into a Village or Battlefield, even if that area already has 1 or more Ninjas with this same name as this Ninja (card).”

Explanation: A Ninja with “Non-unique” ignores the Uniqueness rule when it is being put into play.

Example: Crow(n1086) has Non-unique. Crow(n484) does not. If you have n1086 in play, you can put another n1086 in play. You cannot put n484 into play. If n484 is in play, you can put n1086 into play. You cannot put another n484 into play.

PLATOON

Official Definition: During your Mission Phase, if a Ninja card with this Characteristic is in your hand and you have exactly one Ninja in your Village that shares any of the Platoon Ninja’s names, you can replace that Ninja with this Ninja while there are no effects on the Chain. The Entrance and Hand costs of the Platoon Ninja must be met. The replaced Ninja is moved to its owner’s Chakra area. Unlike Ambush, this does not count as a deployment, the card comes into play in Healthy status and any effects or coins on the Ninja it replaced are not transferred/applied to the Platoon Ninja.

Explanation: A PLATOON Ninja can only be put in play while you control exactly one Ninja that shares a name with the PLATOON Ninja. When the PLATOON Ninja is put in play, move the replaced Ninja to its owner’s Chakra area. This does not count towards your one Deployment per turn.

Example: To put Rock Lee & Might Guy into play, you must have in play either a “Rock Lee” or a “Might Guy”, but not both. If you control 1 of these Ninjas, you may put the PLATOON into play while the chain is empty. The Ninja you are replacing moves to your Chakra area.

REINFORCEMENT

Official Definition: A Ninja card with this Characteristic has a different border and cannot be put into a Deck but must be put into your Reinforcement Deck. It can be put into play by specific effects that reference Reinforcement Ninjas.

Explanation: REINFORCEMENT Ninjas are played from your Reinforcement Deck. See the specific REINFORCEMENT Ninja to see instructions on how to put it into play. You must meet the Entrance cost and pay the Hand cost to put a REINFORCEMENT Ninja into play.

Example: Sasuke Uchiha (State 2) is a REINFORCEMENT Ninja. The instructions on how to put him into play are written on the card. To put Sasuke (State 2) into play, you must be able to move a “Sasuke Uchiha” with an Entrance cost of 4 or more to your Chakra area while you have no cards in your hand.

REVITALIZE

Official Definition: When this card would be moved to the Discard Pile, move it to the bottom of your Deck instead.

Explanation: When a card with REVITALIZE is moved to the Discard Pile from anywhere (Village, Battlefield, Hand, etc) it will move to the bottom of your deck instead.

Example: If Yamato is discarded from your hand, instead of going to the Discard Pile like normal, he will go to the bottom of your deck.

SACRIFICE

Official Definition: As an additional cost to play this Ninja card, you must remove from game the designated card(s) from your Village or Battlefield. A Ninja card in your Reinforcement Deck with “Sacrifice” can be put in play during your Mission Phase by meeting its “Sacrifice” and all its Entrance Requirement while there are no effects on the Chain.

Explanation: “Sacrifice” is an additional cost to play that must be paid when the Ninja is played. Any card that is used to pay the cost of Sacrifice is removed from the game.

Example: Pain (Preta Path) says “Sacrifice: 1 Ninja or Client.” To put Pain (Preta Path) into play, you must Sacrifice (remove from game) a Ninja or Client in your Village.

SENJUTSU

Official Definition: A Ninja with this Characteristic has the following effect: “Valid: Each Specific Symbol of a Jutsu this Ninja uses is treated as (1) for the purpose of paying its cost.”

Explanation: The Specific Symbols for the cost of Jutsus used by a Ninja with Senjutsu can be paid with any type of Chakra.

Example: When Jiraiya uses a Jutsu, such as Sage Art: Kebari Senbon, the cost of that Jutsu can be paid with any Chakra Symbol instead of 2 Lightning.

SQUAD

Official Definition: A Ninja card with this Characteristic has a different border and cannot be put into a Deck and can only be put into your Reinforcement Deck. During your Mission Phase, it can be put in play if you control Ninjas in your Village that match all the ones listed on the SQUAD card by removing the listed Ninjas from the game while there are no effects on the Chain.

Explanation: A SQUAD Ninja can only be put in play by removing Ninjas with the same Names listed on the SQUAD Ninja. You must meet the Entrance cost and pay the Hand cost to put a SQUAD Ninja into play. When you put in play a SQUAD Ninja, the Ninjas that are replaced are removed from the game.

Example: To play Kakashi Hatake & The 4th Hokage, you must have 1 or 2 Ninjas with the names “Kakashi Hatake” and “The 4th Hokage.” If you do, you can put the SQUAD in play from your Reinforcement Deck by removing from game the Ninjas with name “Kakashi Hatake” and “The 4th Hokage” while the chain is empty.

SURGE

Official Definition: A Ninja with this Characteristic has the following effect: “Valid: During the Exchange of Jutsu, you can discard 1 Ninja card from your hand with the same name as this Ninja. In that case, this Ninja gets +2/+2 during this turn.”

Explanation: If you have a Ninja with SURGE in play, you can discard a Ninja card from your hand with the same name during the Exchange of Jutsu to give the Ninja +2/+2 for the turn. This effect can only be used once per turn.

Example: During the Exchange of Jutsu, you can discard a Ninja card from your hand with the name “Rock Lee” to give Rock Lee +2/+2 for the turn.

TRACKING

Official Definition: When a Ninja with this keyword is put in play, name a Ninja. Your opponent’s Ninjas that have that name are Tracked Ninjas. Only 1 Ninja can be Tracked at a time per player.

Explanation: You must name a Ninja that actually exists. You can only be Tracking one name at a time.

Example: When Urushi comes into play, name a Ninja. While your opponent controls a Ninja with that name, Urushi get +2/+0. Any other Ninjas whose effect requires a Tracked Ninja will also be active.