How many cards are in a Digimon Card Game deck?

A Digimon Card Game deck contains exactly 50 cards, plus an optional Digi-Egg deck of up to 5 cards used to hatch rookie-level Digimon.

How do you win the Digimon Card Game?

You win by reducing your opponent's Security Stack to zero and then dealing one final damage, or by causing them to draw from an empty deck.

What is the Memory Gauge in the Digimon Card Game?

The Memory Gauge tracks resource balance between players. When you spend memory, it shifts toward your opponent. When it passes 0 to their side by 1 or more, your turn ends and theirs begins.

Digimon Card Game Quick Start Guide

Digivolution stacks, the Memory Gauge, and Security checks. Built for players brand new to the Digimon card game.

The Digimon Card Game launched globally in 2020 and quickly built a loyal following thanks to its unique Digivolution mechanic. Instead of playing monsters from scratch, you stack evolving creatures on top of each other — and the stack carries inherited effects from every card beneath it. Here's what you need to know to get started.

The Card Types

Digimon cards — the evolving creatures on your field. Each has a Play Cost, a Digivolve Cost (to evolve from a lower form), DP (battle strength), and effects.
Tamer cards — human partner characters. They stay in play and provide passive bonuses or activated abilities. Some Tamers reduce Memory costs when you play certain Digimon.
Option cards — one-shot effects, similar to Spell cards in other games. Played from hand, resolve, then discard.
Digi-Egg cards — start in a separate 5-card Digi-Egg deck. You hatch your first Digimon from here for free at the start of the game.

The Memory Gauge (Your Resource System)

Digimon has no separate mana system — instead, both players share a single Memory Gauge that goes from −10 to +10, with 0 in the center. At the start of the game the gauge is set to 1 on your opponent's side.

When you play or Digivolve a Digimon, you pay its cost by moving the gauge toward your opponent.
When the gauge reaches or passes 0 (moves to your opponent's side by 1 or more), your turn ends immediately — your opponent takes over with the gauge on your side.
Tamer cards, Option cards, and some Digimon effects can give you Memory, moving the gauge back toward you.

This shared economy is what makes Digimon strategic at a deep level — every action has to be weighed against the Memory you're handing your opponent.

Digivolution Stacks

Digimon don't just sit on the field — they evolve by stacking cards on top of each other. To Digivolve, play a higher-level Digimon on top of an existing one by paying the Digivolve Cost (usually 2–4 Memory, cheaper than playing from scratch).

The evolving stack works as one Digimon with the top card's name, DP, and traits — plus inherited effects from the cards underneath. As your stack grows through the evolution line (In-Training → Rookie → Champion → Ultimate → Mega), the creature becomes more powerful and carries more inherited abilities.

The Five Digivolution Levels

Lv.2 (In-Training) — Digi-Egg stage; comes from your Digi-Egg deck. Sits in your Breeding Area until it matures.
Lv.3 (Rookie) — first playable form from the main deck. Can be played to the Battle Area directly.
Lv.4 (Champion) — mid-evolution; Digivolves from Rookie. Stronger DP and more powerful effects.
Lv.5 (Ultimate) — powerful form; Digivolves from Champion. Many key effects live here.
Lv.6 (Mega) — the final evolution; Digivolves from Ultimate. High DP and game-ending abilities.
Lv.7 (Mega+ / Special) — rare ultra-powerful forms requiring special Digivolve conditions.

Security Checks

Each player starts the game with a Security Stack of 5 cards placed face-down. When one of your Digimon attacks and isn't blocked, you flip the top card of your opponent's Security Stack face-up — this is a Security Check.

If the revealed card is a Digimon, it attacks your attacking Digimon back (compare DP — lower DP is deleted).
If the revealed card is an Option or Tamer, its effect resolves immediately.
After the check, the revealed card goes to the opponent's hand.

A player who has 0 Security cards and gets hit by an attack loses the game.

A Turn, Step by Step

Unsuspend Phase — unsuspend (rotate upright) all your suspended Digimon and Tamers.
Draw Phase — draw 1 card. On your first turn you draw 5 cards instead.
Breeding Phase — optionally move your Digi-Egg one step: either hatch a Digi-Egg into the Breeding Area, or move a Lv.3+ Digimon from the Breeding Area into the Battle Area.
Main Phase — in any order: play Digimon or Tamers, Digivolve, play Option cards, attack with unsuspended Digimon (suspending them), use Tamer abilities.

Beginner Tips

Use Starter Decks. Bandai releases official Starter Decks (~$15) for each major Digimon family — Omnimon, WarGreymon X, BeelStarmon, Mastemon. They're legal, balanced, and carry a consistent evolution line from Lv.3 through Lv.6.
Watch your Memory carefully. New players often overspend Memory and hand their opponent huge turns. When you can, plan your plays so you land just at 1 Memory on your opponent's side — not 5.
Read inherited effects on every card. A Rookie with a strong inherited effect is often more valuable than a flashy Mega — those inherited effects stack and stay through the whole game.
Attack the Security Stack, not the opponent's Digimon. Whittling down your opponent's Security is how you win. Only battle their Digimon if you need to clear a blocker.
Keep your Breeding Area moving. A Digimon stuck in the Breeding Area can't attack or block. Hatch early and advance each turn so your fully evolved Mega hits the Battle Area as soon as possible.