Current Official Rulebook is version 1.4 as of (DATE) and the direct file from NOTE FROM Site owner: I am keeping an archive of this because I believe for the long term even after this game stops being printed having the historical context of these decisions is important. NOTE TO SELF: MAKE THIS MORE READABLE Add older versions of this to the site as well I will provide the PDF here, alongside official and Wayback Machine links to verify its legitimacy. https://upperdeck.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Neopets_Battledome_Rulebook_1.4.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20250907191417/https://upperdeck.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Neopets_Battledome_Rulebook_1.4.pdf Official Rulebook Version 1.4 ----- Neopets Battledome Trading Card Game In Neopets Battledome Trading Card Game you will train your Neopet using Codestones, prepare them for battle with powerful equipment, enlist the aid of renowned Heroes and Legends from throughout Neopia, and enter the Battledome in hopes to become the Champion!! Deck Construction You need a 50-card deck made up of a combination of Codestones, Equipment, Food, Faeries, Heroes, Legends, Map Pieces, Paint Brushes, Petpets, Potions, and Villains. Decks can contain no more than 2 copies of any Equipment, Food, Legends, Paint Brushes, and Potions. They may contain no more than 1 copy of any Faerie, Hero, Petpet, unique Map Piece, or Villain and may contain any number of Codestones. You can have a Neopet Deck of at least 3 and up to 5 Neopets of different species (all 5 must have a different name), and a Rainbow Pool with up to 15 cards with a maximum of 10 unique Rainbow Pool Neopets. Your Rainbow Pool may include Rainbow Pool Neopets, Factions, and additional cards with unique rules text having them start in your Rainbow Pool. Up to 10 six-sided diced will be required for battle. -------- Page 2 Setting Up 1. Randomly determine which player decides who goes first. (Die roll, rock paper scissors, etc.). 2. Place your Neopets and Rainbow Pool Neopets in the designated areas. Shuffle your deck and place it in the deck area, then draw a hand of 5 cards into your inventory. . 3. You may choose to shuffle all the cards from your inventory back into your deck then draw 5 cards into your inventory.. 4. Both players select their starting Neopet and places them face down in the Battledome (Neopet Area). 5. Both players simultaneously reveal their starting Neopet ------ Page 2 Turn Phases 1. Draw Phase: Draw 1 card from the top of your deck to your inventory. If you need to draw a card and cannot, your Neopet takes 1 point of damage. 2. Training Phase: You may attach 1 Codestone from your inventory to raise your Neopet’s level by 1 to a maximum of 5. (Note: Codestones are attached and cannot be played.) 3. Preparation Phase: You may play exactly 1 card from your hand with a level requirement equal to or less than your Neopet’s level. (Note: Some card abilities allow you to play more than 1 card per turn.) 4. Battle Phase: Your Neopet must battle your opponent’s Neopet if able. Battling always ends your turn. (Note: The player going first skips this phase and ends their turn after their Preparation Phase. ------ Page 3 Victory Condition A complete game is made up of 3 rounds. You win a round when your opponent’s Neopet has taken damage equal to or greater than their Hit Points. The first player to win 2 rounds is the Champion of the Battledome. (For a quick game, you can just play 1 round.) Golden Rules • Can’t Beats Can • Whenever a card, ability, or effect states that something “can” happen or directs that thing to happen, but another card, ability, or effect states that the same thing “can’t” happen, the “can’t” effect will take precedence. • Card Text Always Take Precedence Over Game Rules • Whenever card text contradicts the game’s rules, the card text takes precedence ------ Page 4 Card Types Neopets Hit Points : This is your Neopet’s health. When your opponent’s Neopet takes damage equal to their Hit Points, you win the battle! Attack : This number represents the number of dice rolled when attacking your opponent’s Neopet. Defence : This number represents the number of dice rolled when defending against an opposing Neopet’s attack. Agility : This number represents your agility. If your agility is higher than your opponents, you are allowed to reroll your Attack or Defence dice up to the difference between both Neopet’s Agility. Attack, Defence, and Agility have a maximum value of 1 Paint Brushes When you play a Paint Brush, your Neopet transforms! Search your Rainbow Pool for the matching Neopet, place your active Neopet into the Rainbow Pool, and place the painted Neopet into play keeping all Codestones, equipment, and damage they may have already taken. Then the Paint Brush goes to the discard. (Note: You can use a Paint Brush on a Rainbow Pool Neopet.) ----- Page 5 Rainbow Pool Neopets Rainbow Pool Neopets start the game in your Rainbow Pool. You can find the required Paint Brush or Location icon in the top left corner and listed below the name of your Rainbow Pool Neopet. Some Rainbow Pool Neopets have special abilities like equipment Codestones During your Training Phase, you may attach 1 Codestone from your inventory to raise your Neopet’s level by 1 to a maximum of 5, and they gain an additional boost to one of their stats. Your Neopet’s level is equal to the number of Codestones attached to them. (Note: Codestones are attached and cannot be played.) Codestones are not considered to be “in play” nor “in the Battledome.” ---- Page 6 Equipment You may have up to 3 Equipment equipped to your Neopet at any time. To play an Equipment while there are already the maximum amount of Equipment in play, you first send an active Equipment to your discard, and then play the new Equipment Petpets When you play a Petpet they are placed in an Equipment slot. You may only have 1 Petpet in play at any time. During either player’s Battle Phase, you may choose to have your Neopet gain the Attack, Defence, or Agility of your Petpet until the end of your turn. You may only choose a stat that was not chosen this round. ---- Page 7 Legends When you play a Legend, resolve all effects on the card then send it to your discard. Teams Defenders of Neopia Villains of Neopi Neopia Central Awakened Meridell Seekers Thieves Guild Brute Squad Darigan Sway Obelisk Order of the Red Erisim ---- Page 8 Potions When you play a Potion, resolve all effects on the card then send it to your discard Faeries When you play a Faerie, they remain in play until the end of the round. You may only have 1 Faerie in play at a time. To play a Faerie while there is already a Faerie in play, you first void the active Faerie, and then play the new Faerie. When a Faerie would go from the Battledome to your discard, void it instead. ---- Page 9 Hero/Villain When you play a Hero or Villain card, they are played in the same slot as a Faerie. They follow the same rules as a Faerie but include an additional Team Icon which can be referenced in card effects. When a Hero or Villain would go from the Battledome to your discard, void it instead. Food When you play a Food, resolve all effects on the card then send it to your Void. If you play a Food and it does not resolve, it goes to your discard. Food does not count as a card played and can be played at any time, on any turn, in any phase, unless the card states otherwise (in which it must be played in the first instance available to play that Food). ---- Page 10 Map Pieces Anytime you can play a card, you may collect a Map Piece. Map Pieces remain in play for the rest of the game (they are not sent to the discard between rounds). Map Pieces are not considered to be in the Battledome. You may collect any number of Map Pieces on your turn, and collecting a Map Piece does not count as a card played. There is no specific zone for Map Pieces, but we recommend keeping them in your Play Area. Locations When you play a Location, they remain in play for the rest of the game (they are not sent to the discard between rounds). Locations are not considered to be in the Battledome. There is no specific zone for Locations, but we recommend keeping them in your Play Area or on top of your Rainbow Pool. ---- Page 11 Factions Factions start the game in your Rainbow Pool. When you play a Legend with a matching Team Icon of a Faction in your Rainbow Pool, you may reveal your Faction and “pledge your allegiance” to that Faction. You may only pledge your allegiance to one Faction and cannot pledge your allegiance to another Faction after the first. Factions remain in play for the rest of the game (they are not sent to the discard between rounds). Factions are not considered to be in the Battledome. There is no specific zone for Factions, but we recommend keeping them in your Play Area. Playing Cards When playing a card, you must successfully meet these requirements: • Level Requirement: The minimum number of Codestones which need to be attached to your Neopet. • Timing: The phase/time in which a card can be played or an effect can be activated. (Ex: “During the Battle Phase”, “When your opponent plays a Legend”, etc). (Note: Many cards do not have specific timing) • Additional Cost: Additional costs are conditions that must be met to put certain effects into the queue. Additional costs are indicated by text preceding a semi-colon. When a card is played and begins the process of resolving, this creates the queue. The player who played the card has a chance to respond (i.e., playing an additional card or activating an effect), this is referred to as priority. A player can pass priority to their opponent, which allows them to respond to any cards in the queue. Once both players pass priority, then the last card in the queue resolves. These steps repeat until all cards in the queue resolv ---- Page 12 Example One: • Player 1 plays Korbat Defender, beginning the queue. • Player 1 does not respond to Korbat Defender. • Player 2 gains priority and does not respond to Korbat Defender. • Korbat Defender resolves, allowing Player 1 to draw two cards from their deck. • Korbat Defender goes to the discard. Example Two: • Player 1 plays Korbat Defender, beginning the queue. • Player 1 does not respond to Korbat Defender. • Player 2 gains priority and plays Hot Dog of Justice in response. • Player 1 gains priority and does not respond to Hot Dog of Justice. • Hot Dog of Justice resolves, negating the effect of Korbat Defender. Hot Dog of Justice goes to the Void. • Korbat Defender goes to the discard ---- Page 13 Example Three: Cards or effects that include a player rolling one or more dice require their dice be rolled as the card/effect enters the queue. Meaning, both players will see the result of the roll prior to the card resolving. • Player 1 plays Exploding Potion, immediately rolling the required 1 die (with a result of 2), beginning the queue. • Player 1 responds with Teeny Hot Dog. • Player 2 does not respond to Teeny Hot Dog. • Teeny Hot Dog resolves, changing the result of Exploding Potion’s roll to a critical success (6). • Teeny Hot Dog goes to the Void and is removed from the queue. Exploding Potion is now the last card in the queue. • Player 1 does not respond to Exploding Potion. • Player 2 does not respond to Exploding Potion. • Exploding Potion resolves, with a die result of 6, and deals 2 damage to Player 2’s Neopet. Example Four: Cards or effects that include a player rolling one or more dice require their dice be rolled as the card/effect enters the queue. Meaning, both players will see the result of the roll prior to the card resolvingg. • Player 1 plays Exploding Potion, immediately rolling the required 1 die (with a result of 2), beginning the queue. • Player 1 responds with Teeny Hot Dog. • Player 2 does not respond to Teeny Hot Dog. • Teeny Hot Dog resolves, changing the result of Exploding Potion’s roll to a critical success (6). • Teeny Hot Dog goes to the Void and is removed from the queue. Exploding Potion is now the last card in the queue. • Player 1 does not respond to Exploding Potion. • Player 2 does not respond to Exploding Potion. • Exploding Potion resolves, with a die result of 6, and deals 2 damage to Player 2’s Neopet. ---- Page 14 Battle Phase Breakdown Your Neopet must battle your opponent’s Neopet if able. Battling always ends your turn. (Note: This phase is skipped on the first turn of the game.) The Battle Phase is performed as followed: 1. Attack: The attacking Neopet rolls a number of dice equal to their Attack. A result of 4 or 5 is a success, and a 6 is a critical success. 2. Defend: The defending Neopet rolls a number of dice equal to their Defence. On a result of 4, 5, or 6 the defending Neopet successfully blocks a blockable attack. (Note: You cannot block a critical success.) 3. Compare Agility: Compare each Neopet’s Agility. The player whose Neopet has the higher Agility may reroll their dice equal to or less than the difference. That player may not reroll these dice more than once. Example: Kau and Poogle are in combat. Kau will roll 5 dice to Attack Poogle. Poogle will be on the Defence and roll 5 dice. Once these rolls are complete, the difference in Agility is determined. Kau has an Agility of 5 while Poogle has an Agility of 3. This is difference of 2 (5 minus 3), therefore Kau can reroll 2 of their dice. 4. Calculate Damage: Add up the number of successful hits and successful blocks. If the number of successful hits is higher than the number of successful blocks the defending Neopet takes 1 damage per the difference. If the number of successful hits is equal to or lower than the number of successful blocks the defending Neopet takes no damage. An attack which results in a critical success always deals 1 damage per critical success. ---- Page 15 Compare Dice and Calculate Damage TODO: Either put picture here or draw in ascii this diagram Dice Results Attacking: / 6 --------------------------------- Critical Hit 4 or 5 ----------------------------------- Successful Hit 1, 2 or 3 ------------------------------- Miss Defending: /6, 5, or 4 ------------------ Successful Block 1, 2 or 3 ------------------------------- Miss --- Page 16 End of Round Breakdown When a Neopet has taken damage equal to their Hit Points, the round ends. All cards in play go to the respective player’s discard/Void. The winning Neopet is placed face up in “Round Results” above the winning player’s Rainbow Pool. The losing Neopet is placed face down in the losing player’s “Round Results”. The winning player then selects a new Neopet from their Neopet Deck and places them face up in the Battledome. Once the winning player has selected a new Neopet, the losing player selects their Neopet and places them face up in the Battledome. Play then continues as normal with the player who lost the previous round as the starting turn player. (Note: This is NOT the first turn of the game, so the first turn player attacks on their turn.) ---- Page 17 Battlepedia Abandon: You lose the round and your Neopet is placed face down in the round results. Add: Place a card from the designated area to your inventory. When you add a specific card type to your inventory you always show the card to your opponent. Battledome: All cards currently in play for both players. Bury: Flip a card in your discard from face-up to face-down or put a card from a designated zone into your discard face-down. Collect: Anytime you can play a card, you may collect a card which states it can be collected. You may collect any number of cards on your turn, and collecting a card does not count as a card played. Counter: A marker placed on a card that interacts with an ability or effect. Critical Success: A die roll with the result of a 6. Discard: Send a card from your inventory to the discard. Enter the Shadows: When a Neopet “enters the shadows” they cannot attack, be attacked, or be affected by status effects until the start of your next turn. During the turn this effect ends, that Neopet deals double damage during that Battle Phase. Exhume: Flip a card in your discard from face-down to face-up. Failure: A die roll with a result of 1, 2, or 3. Fetch: Put a card into the corresponding zone, then add the specified card to your inventory from that same zone. Foresee: Look at a certain number of cards from the top of your deck and put any amount of those cards to the bottom of your deck in any order and the rest back on top in any order. Freeze/Frozen: The frozen Neopet cannot attack during their next Battle Phase. Immune: Cannot be affected by the designated ability or effect. Inventory: Your hand of cards. The maximum amount of cards in your inventory is 50. Level: The number of Codestones attached to your Neopet. Level Requirement: The minimum number of Codestones which need to be attached to your Neopet to play a card. A card without a Level Requirement is not considered as having a Level Requirement of 0. Look: Look at the designated cards. You do not show these cards to your opponent. Negate: Stop an action from being performed successfully or nullifying a card effect. Neopet: Refers to the active Neopet in the Battledome. Neopets are not considered “cards”. Play: Put a card into play. You can only play cards which you meet the level requirement (unless otherwise stated on the card). Priority: The ability to take an action. ---- Page 18 Private Knowledge: Knowledge which is private to at least one player. The cards in your deck and inventory are private knowledge. Public Knowledge: Knowledge which is known to all players. The numbers of cards in your deck, Rainbow Pool, Neopet Deck, discard, Void, and inventory, as well as the cards in your discard, Void, and face up in the Battledome are public knowledge. Reveal: Flip the designated card(s) face up so they are visible to both players. Scrap: Send the top card of a player’s deck to their discard. Search: Search your deck for the designated card. If you are searching for a specific card/card type you must show the card to your opponent. You always shuffle your deck after searching. Send: Move a card from one place to another. Steal/Stolen: Add a card from a designated area to a “stolen card” pile. Stolen cards can be played as if they were in your inventory, but do not count as being in your inventory. Store: Place the designated counter/die on a card. Success: A die roll with a result of 4, 5, or 6. Target: Select a card. Transform: When you place your active Neopet into the Rainbow Pool and replace it with a Neopet with the same name while meeting the requirements on the card. Void (it): Send designated card to the Void. ---- Page 19 Credits Game Design: Bobby Coovert Senior Director of Game Product Development: Bubby Johanson Product Manager: Bree Horstkamp Product Development Coordinator: Ryan Martin Art Acquisition: Ricky Le Director of Entertainment Brands: Travis Rhea Brand Manager: Jake Davis Graphic Design: Krista Timberlake Project Managers: Keli Lewis, Danny Montejo Production Artists: Stephen Card, Luis Sumano Senior Vice President of Production and Logistics: Suzanne Lombardi President, Upper Deck Company: Jason Masherah Playtesters: Rex Abiang, Tyler Backus, Andrew Ballesteros, Cody Banks, Richard Berg, Cody Bruder, Roland Christy, Teagan Coovert, Alfredo Correa, Max Dennis, Ryan Garcia, Vito Munoz, Bryan Rankin, David Robbins, Joey Rodriguez, Simon Sangpukdee, Kass Savage, Mark Shaunessy, Rory Stillman, Diego Yanto ©2025 UDC. 5830 El Camino Real, Carlsbad, CA 92008. All rights reserved. ©1999-2025 Neopets.