Xiaolin Showdown Trading Card Game
| Designer(s) | Mike Elliott |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Wizards of the Coast |
| Players | 2 |
| Age range | 8+ |
| Playing time | ~10 min. |
| Random chance | Some |
| Skill(s) required |
Card playing Arithmetic Basic Reading Ability |
Released in October 2005 by Wizards of the Coast, the Xiaolin Showdown Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Xiaolin Showdown animated series. It is a two player game where the object is to be the first to win four contests for Shen Gong Wu. The Shen Gong Wu are hidden mystical objects, and searching for them and using them is a central focus of the series, with conflicts over their possession resolved by a Xiaolin Showdown. The first expansion set, Wudai Warriors, was released in March 2006.
There are four types of cards (Warrior, Shen Gong Wu, Master, and Villain) and four elements (Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water) which are associated with the four Xiaolin monks and the color of the non-Villain cards. During the game, each player has a deck, a hand, a Warrior Training Area, a Vault, and a discard pile which cards will move between according to rules. There is also a Showdown Arena that is used by both players when they wish to start a Xiaolin Showdown. In addition to winning by being the first to win four Shen Gong Wu in a Showdown, it is possible to lose by running out of cards in one's deck and then being required to draw
The type of card dictates how it can be played. Each card has a skill number in a circle and a power number in a hexagon. The lower the skill number, the easier it is to bring the card into play. The higher the power number, the more powerful the card will be when used in a Xiaolin Showdown for a Shen Gong Wu.
Each turn, a player may play one Warrior card to his Training Area. Such cards are played face up and upside down, so that Warrior icon on the card is right side up. The skill and power numbers of a Warrior card in the Training Area do not matter. However, the number of cards in the Training Area determines one's skill level, which is also important. During a showdown, a Warrior card may be used as a Boost card, and any special ability the card has applies only then.
These cards are named after various martial arts moves that are used in the series as well as a number of additional moves with similar names, but which have not been used so far. This includes cards for the signature moves for the Xiaolin monks as both Xiaolin apprentices and Wudai warriors in the second and third season of the series. The Xiaolin apprentice move cards are "Rare" cards and the Wudai Warrior move cards are "Premium" cards.
Each turn, a player may play one Shen Gong Wu card. Such cards may either be played directly to one's Vault or be made the subject of a Xiaolin Showdown. A Shen Gong Wu card may be played directly to one's Vault only if you have a number of Warriors equal to or more than the skill number of the Shen Gong Wu. This does not count as victory in a Xiaolin Showdown, but does enable the player to tap the card in future Showdowns. If a player has no Shen Gong Wu in his hand, or does not wish to play one that is hand, he may choose to flip over the top card in his deck. If the card is a Shen Gong Wu, then there will be a Showdown for it. If it is not a Shen Gong Wu, it goes to the discard pile. During a showdown, a Shen Gong Wu card in a player's hand may be used as a Boost card. Shen Gong Wu that are in a player's vault may also be used, and any special ability that the Shen Gong Wu has applies only when the card is tapped.
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