Digivolving

See also: Digivolving/DNA Digivolving and Digimon Instance § Persistent Effects

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Digivolving (進化, Shinka, Translated: Evolve^?) is an action that you can perform during your Main Phase or by card effects.

How to Digivolve

Digivolving is an action completed by performing these three steps in a specific order.

1. Place a Digimon card in your hand on top of another Digimon that matches its digivolution requirements in the coloured located underneath its Play Cost. If it satisfies multiple digivolution requirement declare which digivolution requirement you are fulfilling.
   • Level Requirements: The Level listed on the circle.
   • Colour Requirements: Colour of the circle.
   • Some Digimon have two circles, in such instances you only need to satisfy 1 of the Digimon's digivolution requirements.
   • Some Digimon have Boxes that signify a "Special Digivolution Requirement" which give different requirements. This is not an Effect.
   • Some Digimon have effects that allow you to digivolve with different Digivolution requirements.
   • Some Digimon have effects that allow you to digivolve on top of a Tamer. In which case you place the Digimon on top of the Tamer instead.
   • Effects cannot be used to digivolve Digimon in the Breeding Area.
2. Effects that specify "when you would digivolve" are triggered and activated at this time.
   • In Japanese it will be "when digivolving", some English cards used literal translations instead of the Detailed Rulebook Standardisation.
   • Note these effects would have to classify as Interruptive Effects to trigger at this time.
   • If one of these effects causes the Digimon you are digivolving from to no longer satisfy the declared digivolution condition, the digivolution fails and the revealed card returns to hand.
3. Pay the Memory Cost listed in its digivolution requirements.
   • If you can no longer pay the memory cost. The card is returned to your hand, and you will return to your main phase. Don't proceed with the rest of the steps.
   • If you no longer meet the digivolution requirements. The card is returned to your hand, and you will return to your main phase. Don't proceed with the rest of the steps.
4. Draw 1 card for the digivolution bonus.
5. Effects that would be triggered by the 4 above steps are triggered at the same time, such as [When Digivolving].

Digivolution Requirements

Digivolution requirements are defined by the coloured circles underneath the Play Cost. They contain the information for the colour, level, and memory cost required to digivolve into a Digimon card.

[BT3-030 Leopardmon] is an example of a Digimon that digivolves from a Level 5 Blue Digimon for a memory cost of 4.
[BT1-084 Omnimon] is an example of a Digimon that digivolves from a Red Level 6 Digimon for a memory cost of 6 or a Blue Level 6 Digimon for a memory cost of 6.

Special Digivolution Requirements

Special Digivolution (特殊進化, Tokushu shinka^?) is a digivolution that specifically uses Special Digivolution Requirements instead of the coloured Requirements in the card. The process follows the exact same procedure as normal digivolution.

Special Digivolution requirements are defined by a small black box above the effect box that starts with "Digivolve: <memory cost> from <condition>". These Special Digivolution Requirements are not card effects.

[BT8-032 Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode] is an example of a Digimon with a Special Digivolution Requirement Box that lets it Digivolve from a Digimon with [Dragon Mode] in its name.

Rulings

1. Q: Can I digivolve a Digimon that just entered play?

   A: Yes, you can.
2. Q: If I digivolve a Digimon the same turn it entered play, can I attack with it

   A: No. Even if you digivolve it, you can't attack with a Digimon the same turn it entered play.
3. Q: I digivolve a suspended Digimon. Does this unsuspend it?

   A: No. If you digivolve a suspended Digimon, it remains suspended.
4. Q: If I digivolve into a Digimon that has an [On Play] effect, does it activate?

   A: No. [On Play] effects don't activate with digivolution.
5. Q: I digivolve a Digimon in my breeding area. Does its [When Digivolving] effect activate?

   A: No, you can't activate effects on Digimon in your breeding area.
6. Q: I digivolve a Digimon with an [When Digivolving] effect, and pay the digivolve cost results in my memory counter moving to 1 my opponent's side. Does my Digimon's [When Digivolving] effect activate?

   A: Yes, it does. After resolving the effect on the card you paid for, or resolving effects resulting from that card, it becomes your opponent's turn.
7. Q: Do I digivolve Digimon in my breeding area during my breeding phase?

   A: No, digivolving Digimon in your breeding area takes place during your main phase.
8. Q: If my Digimon has gained an effect or DP by another effect. Does it keep it after digivolving?

   A: Read Digimon Instance#Persistent Effects and Global Effects for proper explanations on when effects will be kept. Global Effects will remain as long as the condition is still being fulfilled. Other effects will remain as long as it the Digimon was targeted and the effect was gained for a period of time.
9. Q: When my Digimon digivolves using a card's effect, do I draw 1 from the Digivolution Bonus?

   A: Yes, you do.²
10. Q: When digivolving by a card effect, do I need to follow the card's digivolution conditions?

    A: Yes, you must still follow the card's digivolution conditions unless the effect specifies to ignore it.²
11. Q: I have a digimon whose power is being modified by an effect. What happens if I digivolve it?

    A: It depends on the effect. If the effect lacks specific conditions, or if the effect asks you to choose a Digimon that meets conditions at the time of activation, the effect persists following digivolution. If the effect applies to all Digimon that meet specific conditions, and the Digimon no longer meets those conditions following digivolution, the effect ends.
12. Q: What happens if by a "when you would digivolve" effect changes the state of the Digimon (e.g. the level of the Digimon is changed)?

    A: You will no longer be able to digivolve if the digivolution requirement you chose at the beginning of the digivolution is no longer met. The digivolution will fail and the card will go back to your hand. However, if the chosen digivolution requirement is still met, the digivolution will continue.

Special Digivolution Requirements

1. Q: What is a Special Digivolution?

   A: Special Digivolution refers to additional digivolution requirements that are different from normal Digivolution requirements. Special Digivolution requirements may include card names or traits as requirements. In the case of Special Digivolution where there is no reference to colour or level, then digivolution is still possible as long as the specified Special Digivolution requirements are met.
2. Q: Do Special Digivolutions digivolve in a different process than normal digivolutions?

   A: No, the digivolution process is the same as normal digivolution, only the requirements that you refer to are different.
3. Q: Is Special Digivolution an effect?

   A: No, it's not an effect. It's an additional digivolution requirement.
4. Q: When I digivolve using Special Digivolution requirements, do I draw 1 as an digivolution bonus?

   A: Yes, you get the draw 1 bonus from a Special Digivolution, just like a normal digivolution.
5. Q: When digivolving using Special Digivolution requirements, do effects with the timing of [When Digivolving] or “when this digimon digivolves” trigger"?

   A: Yes, the effects do trigger.
6. Q: Can I fulfil Special Digivolution requirements in the breeding area?

   A: Yes you can digivolve in the breeding area using Special Digivolution requirements.
7. Q: A Digimon has Special Digivolution requirements in which only a card name is specified. Can you digivolve from a Digimon whose name only partially contains the specified name and is not an exact match?

   A: If the Special Digivolution requirements specify a card name, then if the card name of that Digimon you wish to digivolve from is not an exact match then you can’t digivolve. However, if the Special Digivolution requirements only state that the “name must include” or the “name contains”, then it is possible to fulfil the Special Digivolution requirements and digivolve. For example, [BT8-039 Rapidmon] has the Special Digivolution requirements of [Digivolve] [Terriermon]: Cost 3

   , and it is not possible to digivolve from [BT5-046 Terriermon Assistant]. Whereas, [BT8-032 Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode] has the Special Digivolution requirements of [Digivolve] If name contains [Dragon Mode]: Cost 2 . [Imperialdramon: Dragon Mode] has [Dragon Mode] in its name, therefore it is possible to digivolve from it.

8. Q: A Digimon has Special Digivolution requirements in which only a card name is specified. Can the Digimon with these Special Digivolution requirements digivolve from the specific Digimon regardless of colour and level?

   A: Yes, you can. If the card name matches the Special Digivolution requirements then you can digivolve regardless of colour and level.
9. Q: Does [BT8-059 Kokuwamon]’s effect of “[All Turns] Players can't ignore digivolution requirements.” prevent you digivolving a Digimon via Special Digivolution requirements?

   A: No, Special Digivolution requirements are listed additional digivolution requirements and are not considered to be ignoring digivolution requirements, therefore [BT8-059 Kokuwamon]’s effect does not affect Special Digivolution requirements.
10. Q: Is "DNA Digivolution" considered Special Digivolution?

    A: No, both are additional digivolution requirements, but DNA Digivolution and Special Digivolution are not the same.
11. Q: If you can digivolve a Digimon either by normal digivolution requirements or Special Digivolution requirements, can you choose to use digivolve using the normal digivolution requirements instead?

    A: Yes, you can.
12. Q: Can I use effects that reduce digivolution costs such as [BT3-103 Hidden Potential Discovered] etc, to reduce the cost of a Special Digivolution?

    A: Yes, you can.
13. Q: If I have a Digimon that satisfies multiple digivolution requirement. When do I declare which digivolution conditions I am fulfilling?

    A: You must declare the digivolution condition when you reveal the card you are digivolving into.

Burst Digivolution Requirements

1. Q: What is Burst Digivolution?

   A: When digivolving from a specified Digimon to a Digimon card with "Burst Digivolution", you can digivolve for the specified digivolution cost by returning one of the specified Tamers to your hand. At the end of the turn, Digimon that have Burst Digivolved must discard the top card, just like ＜De-Digivolve＞.
2. Q: What do you mean by "conditions specified in Burst Digivolution"?

   A: The conditions are the Tamer to be returned to the hand and the Digimon to be digivolved from, which are written in the "Burst Digivolution" section of the card. If the Burst Digivolution condition says "By returning 1 [Marcus Damon] to the hand, 0 from [ShineGreymon]", then you can digivolve the card from a [ShineGreymon] for a cost of 0 by returning 1 of your [Marcus Damon] to your hand.
3. Q: Do you draw a digivolution bonus when you Burst Digivolve?

   A: Yes, draw 1 for the digivolution bonus just like normal digivolution.
4. Q: Can you burst evolve from Digimon in the Breeding Area?

   A: Yes, you can. However, even in that case, you must discard one card from the top at the end of the turn.
5. Q: Is it possible to digivolve by returning the opponent's Tamer to the hand with Burst Digivolution?

   A: No, you can not. Only your Tamer can be returned to your hand with Burst Digivolution.
6. Q: Can effects that reduce the digivolution cost, such as [BT1-109 Smashed Potatoes] and [EX1-071 Win Rate: 60%!] also reduce the digivolution cost for Burst Digivolution?

   A: Yes, they can.
7. Q: Does the effect of "increase the digivolution cost by 1" add digivolution cost to Burst Digivolution?

   A: Yes, it does.
8. Q: If a Burst Digivolved Digimon receives the effect of ＜De-Digivolve＞, what happens at the end of the turn?

   A: Since the discard due to Burst Digivolution belongs to the Digimon itself, discard one from the state after ＜De-Digivolve＞. However, if there are no digivolution cards, the top card not a stacked card, so it will not be discarded.
9. Q: If a Burst Digivolved Digimon receives the effect of ＜De-Digivolve＞ and the only card in its digivolution cards is a Digimon with no DP, what will happen at the end of the turn?

   A: By Burst Digivolution, one card from the top is discarded, and the Digimon without DP becomes the top. After that, the Digimon is trashed according to the rules.
10. Q: If a Burst Digivolved Digimon becomes a Lv.3 Digimon due to some effect, what happens at the end of the turn?

    A: Discarding due to Burst Digivolution is not ＜De-Digivolve＞, so even if it's a Lv.3 Digimon, one card will be discarded from the top. However, if there are no digivolution cards, it is not a stacked card, so it will not be discarded.
11. Q: What happens at the end of the turn if a Burst Digivolved Digimon's digivolution sources have all been trashed?

    A: If there are no digivolution sources, it is not a stacked card, so it will not be discarded.
12. Q: Is it possible to Burst Digivolve with an effect that says to digivolve a Digimon?

    A: No, you cannot. You cannot Burst Digivolve by an effect unless the effect says to Burst Digivolve.

Sources

• https://world.digimoncard.com/rule/pdf/general_rules.pdf?201106
• Official General Rules Q&A JP (10/12/21)
• Carddass Email English 16/09/2021: Digisorption Timing
• Carddass Email English 29/11/2022: Multiple Digivolution Conditions
• Carddass Email English 10/02/2023: Failed Digivolution and "when you would digivolve" effects
• Carddass Email English 10/03/2023: Failed Digivolution and "when you would digivolve" effects Part 2

1. Card Rulings:BT5-089