narutocardgame.gg

The independent Naruto card game paper

Bandai · Worldwide 2027

How to play

The complete rules for Bandai's NARUTO CARD GAME — deck construction, turn structure, battle mechanics, and how to win. Compiled from the official Bandia Card Games materials.

TCG · Rules

Deck at a glance

1

Leader

Your deck core

51

Deck cards

Characters & Ninjutsu

5

Chakra

Resource system

1

Summon

Play Characters

Deck construction

Building your deck

Every NARUTO CARD GAME deck follows a fixed structure. Your deck is built around a single Leader, whose color determines which cards you can include. The deck construction rules are:

  • 1 Leader card — the foundation of your deck, with a printed Life total and color identity.
  • 51 deck cards — a mix of Character, EX Character, Ninjutsu, and other card types. Up to 4 copies of any card with the same card number.
  • 5 Chakra cards — exactly 5. These form your resource system and are essential for activating Ninjutsu.
  • 1 Summon card — exactly 1. Required to bring Characters onto the battlefield.

All cards in your deck must match your Leader's color, unless a card ability specifies otherwise.

Game setup

Preparing to play

  1. Shuffle your deck and place it face-down in your deck zone.
  2. Place your Leader card face-up in the Leader zone. It starts in Leader mode.
  3. Set aside your 5 Chakra cards and 1 Summon card in your resource zone.
  4. Draw your opening hand of 5 cards.
  5. You may mulligan once: shuffle your hand back and draw a new hand of 5. Your opponent draws 1 card as a reward.
  6. Determine who goes first at random.

Turn structure

How a turn works

Each turn follows five phases. Understanding the flow is key to mastering the game.

Phase 1 · Draw

Draw 1 card from your deck. The first player skips this on their first turn.

Phase 2 · Chakra

You may place one Chakra card from your resource zone face-down in your Chakra field. This is your primary resource management step.

Phase 3 · Main

Play Character cards by resting your Summon, activate Ninjutsu by spending Chakra, and use any other abilities. You can play cards in any order.

Phase 4 · Battle

Rest your ready Characters to attack. Your opponent can block with their rested Characters. Unblocked attacks hit the Leader directly.

Phase 5 · End

Discard down to your maximum hand size. All “until end of turn” effects wear off. Pass the turn.

Battle mechanics

Combat explained

Combat in NARUTO CARD GAME is about reading your opponent and striking at the right moment.

  • Attacking: Rest a ready Character to declare an attack. You choose the target — either an opponent Character or their Leader directly.
  • Blocking: Your opponent may rest one of their ready Characters to block. The blocked attack deals damage to the blocker instead.
  • Damage: When a Character attacks successfully (unblocked), their Power is dealt to the target. Characters have Power values; Leaders have Life values.
  • Ninjutsu in combat: You can activate Ninjutsu cards during the battle phase by spending face-up Chakra. These can power up attacks, disrupt blockers, or counter enemy Ninjutsu.

Winning

Victory conditions

There are two ways to win a game of NARUTO CARD GAME:

  • Reduce your opponent's Leader Life to 0. This is the primary win condition. Each Leader has a printed Life value, and unblocked attacks or direct damage from Ninjutsu reduce it.
  • Your opponent cannot draw from an empty deck. If your opponent must draw and their deck is empty, they lose.

Pro tip

Bandai describes NARUTO CARD GAME as a “strategy TCG.” Reading your opponent's hand, managing Chakra efficiently, and knowing when to attack vs. develop your board are the skills that separate winners. The full reveal on July 29 will include official rulebook details.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How many cards are in a NARUTO CARD GAME deck?+
A legal deck consists of 1 Leader card, 51 deck cards (Characters, Ninjutsu, and other support), exactly 5 Chakra cards, and exactly 1 Summon card — 58 cards total.
How do you win a game?+
You win by reducing your opponent's Leader's Life to 0. Each Leader has a printed Life value (typically 5). Attacks from Characters and direct damage from Ninjutsu reduce this total.
How do you play Characters?+
To play a Character card, rest your Summon card. Characters enter the battlefield rested and can attack on your next turn unless they have Rush or a similar keyword.
How does Chakra work?+
Chakra cards are placed face-down in your Chakra zone. You can spend them by turning them face-up to pay for Ninjutsu and other support card costs. You start with 5 Chakra cards and spent Chakra is discarded.
What's the turn structure?+
Each turn: 1) Draw phase — draw a card. 2) Chakra phase — set Chakra if needed. 3) Main phase — play Characters, Ninjutsu, and support cards. 4) Battle phase — attack with your Characters. 5) End phase — discard to hand size if needed.
Can you play the NARUTO CARD GAME online?+
Bandai has not released an official online client. A simulator is coming soon to narutocardgame.gg — sign up for updates to be notified when it's available.

Official video

Watch the official gameplay overview on the NARUTO TCG YouTube channel.

Coming soon

A full NARUTO CARD GAME simulator is in development. Practice against AI, test your decks, and learn the rules interactively.

Simulator →