Dice Masters Keywords:

These keywords are the bolded text you’ll see on cards. Sometimes they’ll have reminder text on the cards, sometimes they won’t. After the definition, you’ll see the designation for the first set in which the keyword appeared.

Revised August 6, 2020

Adventurer: Any character with the Experience ability. (DDDM1)

Aftershock: When this character leaves the Field Zone because of your opponent (damage from their characters or actions, getting KO’d, being removed from the game, sent to the Used Pile or Reserve Pool) you must use their Aftershock effect. (MDM4)

Ally: Character dice with the Ally ability count as [PAWN] while in the Field Zone in addition to their other designations. They don’t count as Sidekick Dice while in the bag, Prep Area, Used Pile, or anywhere else. (MDM4)

Amplify: When you use an Action Die, spin each character die with Amplify up one level (if able). (MDM10)

Anti-Breath Weapon: When a character die with Breath Weapon X attacks, you may pay X energy to prevent that damage. (DDDM2)

Attune: While a character you control with Attune is active, when you use an action die, that character deals 1 damage to target player or character die (no matter how many of that character’s dice are active). (DDDM3)

Awaken: When a die with Awaken spins up 1 or more levels, you may use its Awaken effect. You get to use the effect for each individual die that spins up, so if you have two copies of the same die active and they both spin up, you will get two instances of the effect. (MDM8)

Back for More: When a die with Back for More begins the turn in your Prep Area, and is rolled during the Roll and Reroll Step, use its Back for More effect (this isn’t optional). (MDM 6)

Boomerang: Action dice with boomerang are re-rolled after they’re used. If they reveal an action face, add them to your Prep Area. (DCDM 5)

Breath Weapon X: When a character die with Breath Weapon X attacks, you may pay X energy. Deal X damage to your opponent and all of their character dice. You may use multiple Breath Weapons in a turn, but only one per character (no matter how many copies of that die are attacking). (DDDM1)

Call Out: When a character die with Call Out attacks, you target an opposing character die. The targeted die can only legally block the attacking die that used Call Out on it, and no other die can legally block the die that used Call Out. If the die that used Call Out cannot legally be blocked for any reason (an effect made it unblockable, two different dice chose the same target for their Call Out, the die targeted with Call Out was KO’d, etc.) then the effect of Call Out is cancelled. (MDM7)

Cleave: If a die with Cleave attacks and KOs a blocking character die with combat damage, they deal half of their A (rounded down) to another character die your opponent controls as combat damage (only once). (DDDM2)

Common Ground: When a character die with Common Ground attacks with at least one [VILLAINS] character die, you get to use the character die’s Common Ground ability. (DCDM5)

Continuous: Actions with Continuous are “used” by moving them to the Field Zone. They can stay there past the end of the turn. Usually they’ll either send themselves to the Used Pile for an effect, or allow you to send them whenever you could use a Global Ability. If they are sent to the Used Pile while you are the active player, they go Out of Play first. As with all non-character dice, Continuous dice cannot attack or block. (DCDM2)

Corrupt X: Target player draws X dice from their bag (refilling from the Used Pile if necessary). You choose one die (no matter how many dice are drawn) and place it in that player’s Used Pile, and the rest are returned to the bag. (MDM11)

Crossover: Crossover characters have two or more types of energy. To purchase them you’ll need to spend at least one of each type of energy they require. You won’t be able to reduce their cost to avoid paying each type of energy to purchase their dice. They count as every type of energy you must spend to purchase their die. (DCDM4)

Crosspulse: Crosspulse is a special version of Impulse found only on Crossover Characters. When you purchase them by only spending their matching type(s) of energy, you get to use their Crosspulse ability. (DCDM4)

Deadly: At the end of the turn, character dice that were engaged with a character die that has Deadly are KO’d (even if the character with Deadly has been KO’d or leaves the Field Zone). (MDM6)

Energize:  Whenever you roll this die on one of its double energy faces, you must use its Energize effect (this isn’t optional). During the Roll and Reroll Step, only check at the end of the Step. The character with Energize does not need to be active for the ability to trigger. (MDM11)

Energy Drain: After blockers are assigned, spin each character engaged with a character die with Energy Drain down one level. Character dice at level 1 can’t be spun down. (DDDM1)

Enlistment:  Enlistment effects let you get extra effects unless your opponent KOs one of their character dice. (MDM5)

Equip: Gear dice with the Equip keyword may be attached to a character with the [GEAR] icon immediately below their alignment icon when they first enter the Field Zone, and at the beginning of each player’s turn. You may switch the attachment from one character die to another. If the equipped character die leaves the Field Zone, the Gear die remains in the Field Zone (unattached). (DDDM1)

Experience: A character die with the Experience keyword is considered an Adventurer. At the end of your turn, if you KO’d at least one opposing [MONSTER] during your turn, all Adventurers who were active during the KO and remain active at the end of the turn gain one Experience Token on their card. A card can only gain one Experience Token per turn from the Experience keyword (though other abilities may allow a card to gain more than one). An opposing player KOing their own Monster will not generate Experience Tokens, nor can you gain an Experience Token by KOing one of your own Monsters. (DDDM1)

Experience Token: Experience Tokens are placed on character cards. Each token grants +1A and +1D to all character dice belonging to that card. Experience Tokens will still provide their bonus even if that card’s text is being ignored. (DDDM1)

Fabricate X-Y: Characters with Fabricate will have 2 numbers (X-Y).  If you KO exactly X character dice with a total combined purchase cost of Y or more, you can purchase the die with Fabricate X-Y for free. This can only be done when you could normally purchase a character die (generally during your own Main Step). [PAWN] are considered to have a purchase cost of 0. (DDDM 2)

Fast: Characters with Fast deal combat damage before other characters, all at the same time, instead of at the regular time for combat damage. (DDDM2)

Flip: Cards with the Flip keyword have a different face on each physical side of the card (front and back).  All dice you control are represented by the face up side of your card with the Flip keyword, regardless of which face the card was on previously.  At the beginning of each of your turns, you may flip any card with Flip to its other face.  There also may be game effects that direct you to flip cards.  Only cards with two faces may be flipped. (DCDM5)

Frag: When a character die with Frag attacks and KO’s one or more blocking character dice with combat damage, deal 1 damage to all opposing character dice that didn’t block this turn (before damage is cleared). (WHDM1) 

Fusion: During your Main Step, you may move a number of appropriate fusion material monsters (denoted on the card) from your Field Zone to your Prep Area. Move the die with Fusion from its card to the Prep Area. (YGO1) 

Gadgeteer: When a character die with Gadgeteer attacks, you may roll a Continuous action die (including Gear or Traps) that is in your Used Pile.  If you roll a non-energy face, you may move it into your Field Zone.  Otherwise, return it to your Used Pile. (DCDM5)

Gate: When you field a die with Gate, you may take an unpurchased, qualifying die from one of your cards and roll it. On a character face, you can place the unpurchased die into your Prep Area. (DDDM 2)

Gear: Gear are a special type of Continuous Action Dice that have the Equip keyword. They are “used” by moving them into the Field Zone. When you initially do this, and at the beginning of each turn that this die is active (any player’s turn), you may attach this die to a character with the Equip icon ([GEAR]). You may switch the attachment from one character die to another. If the equipped character die leaves the Field Zone, the Gear die remains in the Field Zone (unattached). As with all non-character dice, Gear dice can’t attack or block. (DDDM1)

Heroic: Dice with Heroic can pair up with other dice (different character) that you control that have the Heroic ability. Place paired up dice side by side. Heroic takes place at the same time a character is fielded. Dice may only be paired up with one other die (the new partner replaces the old one). They attack and block separately. (MDM2)

Impulse: Impulse abilities happen when you purchase a character die with the Impulse ability.  The character does not need to be already active to use the Impulse ability. (DCDM4) 

Iron Will:  This character cannot be KO’d unless it was previously damaged this turn or if it is simultaneously damaged by two different sources.  If this character was previously damaged this turn and (a) it is damaged a second time and the total damage it received this turn equals or exceeds its D, or (b) a game effect later in the same turn reduces this character’s defense such that the damage it previously received this turn is equal to or greater than its new D, or (c) a later game effect this turn directs that the character be KO’d, then KO this character.  Also KO this character if it is simultaneously damaged by more than one source (for example, being blocked by more than one character die) and the total damage it receives from those sources equals or exceeds its D. Characters with Iron Will (that have not been damaged) may not be selected to pay a cost that requires you to KO a character. (DCDM3)

Immortal: When a character die with Immortal would go to the Used Pile (not being fielded at the end of the Main Step, attacking and being unblocked, being Sacrificed, etc.), instead add that character die to its owner’s bag. Character dice with Immortal that went Out of Play this turn go to the Bag at the end of the turn instead of the Used Pile. This does not apply to dice initially being purchased, dice being swapped, or dice being spent as energy. (MDM9)

Infiltrate: When a character die with Infiltrate attacks and is not blocked, you may choose to remove that character die from combat (immediately after blockers are declared, before Action dice or Global Abilities may be used).  If you do, that character die deals 1 damage to your opponent, and the die remains in your Field Zone. (MDM7)

Intimidate:  When fielded, remove target opposing character die from the Field Zone until end of turn.  Place it next to your character cards during that turn as a reminder. (MDM5)

Obscure: When you use an Action die, this character is unblockable until end of turn. (DDDM4)

Overcrush: When attacking, if this character KOs all of its blockers (or they are removed for other reasons), it deals any remaining damage to your opponent. (DCDM1)

Range X: When one or more character dice with Range attack, each active character die with Range (on both sides) simultaneously deals damage equal to its Range value (X) to target opposing character die. Each character die with Range may choose a different target, and the defending player still resolves their Range damage even if the Range die was KO’d by the active player’s Range damage. All Range damage is dealt simultaneously; the active player chooses their targets and resolves the damage, immediately followed by the inactive player choosing their targets and resolving the damage. (WHDM1)

Recruit: When a character die with the Recruit keyword damages an opponent with combat damage, you may move a die that matches what is listed in the ability from your Used Pile, Reserve Pool, or Prep Area into the Field Zone on its level 1 character face. For example, it could match a character’s name (exactly), affiliation, energy type, or Sidekick die type. A matching die in the Reserve Pool may be spun from an energy face to its level 1 character face. (MDM12)

Regenerate: If this character would be KO’d, roll it. If you roll a character face, return it to the field on the rolled face (but not the Attack Zone) and clear all damage from it. Otherwise, it is KO’d and moved to your Prep Area. If a character die successfully Regenerates, it does not trigger any “When KO’d” effects, and any applied modifiers (stat boosts, granted affiliations, etc.) remain. (DDDM1)

Resistance: Resistance effects let you get extra effects if one of your character dice was KO’d this turn. (MDM5)

Retaliation: If character you control with Retaliation is active, and character die you control that shares an affiliation with it is KO’d (including another copy of the die with Retaliation), deal 1 damage to an opposing player. A character die cannot trigger its own Retaliation since it is no longer active then. (DCDM1)

Ritual: Instead of paying this monster’s Fielding Cost you may send a monster [character] die from your Reserve Pool to Out of Play in order to field this monster. (YGO1)

Rush: If you draw this die during your Clear and Draw step, draw and roll an extra die for each die of the indicated type drawn during that step. (MDM13)

Sacrifice: Sacrificed characters are moved from the Field Zone to the Used Pile (often as a cost or penalty). If one of your character dice is sacrificed while you are the active player, it goes Out of Play first. (MDM4)

Spark: While a character with a Spark ability is active, if you roll a [BURST] face on one or more dice, use the Spark ability at the end of the current Step. During the Roll and Reroll Step, only check at the end of the Step. (DDDM4)

Strike: On the turn you field this, at the end of the Main Step, if you fielded no other character dice this turn, this character die gets +2A, +2D, and Overcrush(DCDM6)

Stun Tokens: Certain abilities let you place Stun tokens on cards.  While a card has a Stun token on it, its dice cannot attack or block.  The owner of a card with a Stun token on it may pay [2] at any time they could use a Global Ability to remove one Stun token from that card. (DCDM5)

Suit Up: When you purchase a character die with the Suit Up keyword, you may KO a character you control whose name matches one of those listed in the ability.  If you do, you may immediately field the purchased die at level 2. For example, if you purchased a character die with Suit Up Iron Man, you may immediately KO an Iron Man character die to immediately field the purchased character die at level 2.(MDM2017)

Swarm: While a die with Swarm is active, and you draw another copy of that die from your bag during your Clear and Draw Step, draw an extra die from your bag and add it to your Roll and Reroll. This may trigger multiple times if you keep drawing multiple copies of dice with Swarm. (DDDM1)

Synergy: While a character with Synergy is active, you can pay the cost of their Synergy ability to use it. You could use it as the same time as you would a Global Ability. (DCDM4)

Tag Out: After blockers are declared, you may Prep this die from the Field Zone to give target character die +2A and +2D until end of turn. (WWEDM1)

Teamwatch: When a character with Teamwatch is active and you field another character die with the same affiliation, use their Teamwatch ability. (MDM3)

Teamwork: Teamwork abilities will let you get extra effects from actions when you have multiple character dice with the same affiliation. (MDM3)

Traps: Traps are a special kind of Continuous action dice that move to the Field Zone when used, and stay there until Triggered. When the criteria of the Trap die’s Trigger is met, you must immediately send the die to your Used Pile to use its Effect. If the Trap is triggered while you are the active player, it goes Out of Play first. (DDDM3)

Turtle Power:  While a character with Turtle Power is active, all other character dice with the [TURTLES] affiliation cost [1] energy less to purchase for each active (unique) character with Turtle Power you control. (TMNT1)

Underdog: This ability can be used when you have fewer character dice fielded than your opponent. Sometimes the character won’t need to be active (it may affect how the character is purchased or fielded). If an Underdog effect would trigger when a die is fielded, it counts the newly fielded die when determining if you have fewer dice. (MDM4) 

Vengeance: Vengeance effects take place when you (the player) is dealt damage, and the character with Vengeance is active. (DCDM3)

 

Dice Masters Glossary:

This glossary defines the terms that are critical to a player’s understanding of Dice Masters.

Revised April 15, 2019

Abilities: The text on the die’s associated card.

Ability Damage: Damage from a character’s ability text (not from its Attack stat during combat).

Action Die: A die that has no character faces or stats. A face this die that shows a special graphic (such as [ACTION] on a Basic Action Die) can be used for a powerful effect.

Active: A character is active if at least one copy of that character die is in the Field Zone. Effects that are applied while a character is active don’t stack for multiple copies of that die in one player’s Field Zone.

Assign: To commit your character dice to attack, or to block an attacking character die. Also, to designate how a character die’s Attack Value is dealt as damage to targets in an Attack Step.

Attack: To send your characters to try to damage your opponent.

Attack Zone: The Attack Zone is considered to be a special part of the Field Zone. Character dice assigned as attackers or blockers are moved to the Attack Zone to distinguish this status, but are always considered to be in the Field Zone.

Burst: A star-shaped symbol ([BURST]) that indicates extra abilities may be in effect for a die.

Capture: When you capture a die, move the captured die (or dice) to your Field Zone and place your capturing die on top of it. The captured die no longer exists for game purposes (it may be considered to be “Out of Play”). The capture will end when speci­fied in the card text (if unspeci­fied, at the end of the turn), or when the capturing die leaves the Field Zone (KO’d, rerolled to energy, etc.) Once the capture ends, return the captured die or dice to the place they were captured from, on the original level(s).

Combat Damage: The damage a character die deals during the Assign Damage portion of the Attack Step as a result of attacking or blocking.

Control: You control dice in your Field Zone. Also, when an ability (character ability or action die) allows you to take control of an opposing die, it becomes yours for game purposes. Move it into your Field Zone, and if you have any matching dice of your own then be sure to distinguish it in some way. The controlled die will still reference your opponent’s card, as if you had a “virtual” copy of that card on your team (even if you have a card with the same name on your team). Any modi­fications to the source card will also affect the controlled die and its “virtual” card. If the controlled die enters an “unrolled” state (your Prep Area, Used Pile, etc.) then it immediately goes to your opponent’s Prep Area. Otherwise, if it is still in the Field Zone when your control ends (at the end of the turn or when the controlling character die leaves the Field Zone), return the controlled die to your opponent in whatever area you took it from.

Copy: Copying means that your die takes on the stats and/or abilities of another die. If the text says “copy the stats,” then the copying die replaces its own printed stats with the printed stats on the copied die’s card, for the appropriate level. Your copying die also gets to retain its own burst symbol and/or copy the presence of a burst symbol (if applicable). If the text says “copy the abilities,” then your copying die’s card would add the copied die’s card text to its own. When this happens, any references the original card text makes to itself would substitute the copying die’s name. If the text says “copy the die,” then your die becomes a copy of the selected other die for all intents and purposes (the copy has all of the names, subtitles, affiliations, abilities, and printed stats per level of the original in place of its own). For further information, see these rulings: (1)

Engaged: A character die blocking or being blocked is engaged with the opposing character die.

Face: One side of a die.

Field: Paying a character’s fielding cost (which might be 0) to move them from the Reserve Pool to the Field Zone. Some other effects will also field character dice (but only if the ability explicitly uses the term “field”, not “move” or “place” in the Field Zone, for example). Character dice fielded this way are considered fielded for free on level 1, unless specified otherwise.

Field Zone: Once rolled to a Character face, dice can be moved here from the Reserve Pool by paying their Fielding Cost. Sometimes other effects can “field” dice from other areas. Character dice will remain in the Field Zone indefinitely until you attack with them or another effect sends them elsewhere. Some special Action Dice may also be used by placing them in the Field Zone. The Attack Zone is considered to be a special part of the Field Zone.

Global Ability: A game effect denoted within the text box of a card by the keyword “Global:” the effect happens if the prerequisite cost is paid for. A Global Ability is available for both players to use even if they do not have that die available for them to purchase, and the character or action whose card the Global is printed on does not need to be active.

Opposing: Controlled by another player (either because it belongs to them, or they’ve taken control of one of your dice).

Out of Play: This is a special area that is not represented on the playmat. When you spend Energy during your turn, or use an Action Die, it goes Out of Play until the end of the turn when it is moved to the Used Pile. Dice that are Out of Play cannot be interacted with by any game mechanics, and will not be used to re­fill the bag if it runs out mid-turn. Unblocked attackers also go Out of Play, as well as any dice sent from the Field or Reserve Pool “to the Used Pile” during your turn. The Out of Play area does not exist during your opponent’s turn, and any Energy spent or dice sent to the Used Pile will go directly there.

Prep: Move a die from the speci­fied area to the Prep Area. If this is from your bag, randomly draw one and place it in your Prep Area.

Prep Area: Dice that are here before your turn will be added to the 4 dice you draw at the beginning of your turn, and all those dice will be rolled during your Roll and Reroll Step. Character dice that are KO’d go to the Prep Area, and certain game effects will direct you to “Prep a die” – meaning add the speci­fied die to your Prep Area.

Reroll: Many powers allow you to “reroll” one or more rolled dice (in the Field Zone or your Reserve Pool). When you reroll a die, it remains in the same area it was in unless (a) otherwise speci­fied by the card text for the resulting face, or (b) it’s in a location that the die face cannot be (for example, an energy result in the Field Zone). If the die face cannot be in the speci­fied location and its fate is not speci­fied in the card text, move the die to the Reserve Pool. Rerolling a fielded Character Die to a different Character face means it remains in the Field Zone on its new face and never “left the Field Zone” (and will therefore not trigger any “when ­fielded” effects). Rerolling a fielded Continuous Action Die to an energy face will result in it leaving the Field Zone and moving to the Reserve Pool. If a fielded character die is rerolled to energy and leaves the Field Zone, it loses any applied or persistent effects that had been given to it (stat modi­fiers, granted affiliations, must attack, etc.).

Reserve Pool: After your Roll and Reroll Step, all the dice are placed in the Reserve Pool and used from here. Energy can be spent, Action Dice can be used, and Character Dice can be ­fielded from here. During your opponent’s turn, only Energy dice can be in the Reserve Pool, and are cleared during your following Clear and Draw Step. If an effect ever tells you to “draw a die” without specifying what to do with it, you should roll it a single time and place it in the Reserve Pool on the resulting face.

Sidekick: Sidekick Dice are special dice that each player begins the game with. You can never gain any more, or get rid of the ones you have. They can provide any of the energy types, or even Wild ([?]) energy. They also have one character face with the ([PAWN]) custom icon, and stats. When they are rolled to this face (in the Reserve Pool or the Field Zone) they are considered to be Sidekick Character Dice (level 1), for game effects that look for character dice. However, when they are unrolled (in the Prep Area, Used Pile, or the bag) they are not considered to be character dice, but just Sidekick dice. For any game effects that care, they are considered to have a Purchase Cost of 0. Any card effects that refer to [PAWN] refer to rolled Sidekick Character Dice on their [PAWN] face (usually in the Field Zone).

Spin: To turn or rotate a die so that it shows a different face.

Stats: The numbers on a character die face (fielding cost, attack, and defense).

Swap: Some abilities allow you to “swap” two dice (usually character dice, though not always). When you do so, you take the two dice and change their positions exactly. If a character die is attacking (blocked or unblocked) or blocking and it is swapped for a different character die, that newly swapped in die will also be attacking or blocking in the same position. If a character die in the Field Zone is swapped with a character die in the Used Pile, it will change positions exactly and not go Out of Play. Dice that are swapped from an “unrolled” position (such as the Used Pile) to a “rolled” position” (such as the Field Zone) will be put on their level 1 side unless otherwise speci­fied. This does not count as fielding that die. If a character die has a persistent effect on it that will cause it to return to its card at the end of the turn, it is not a valid target to be swapped out.

Tokens (Character): Some cards will have the ability to generate character “tokens.” These tokens may be represented by whatever you would like, and for game purposes are considered to be level 1 character dice with a purchase cost of 0. Their A and D values will be given by the card generating them, and they can only exist in the Field Zone. As soon as they leave the Field Zone they no longer exist. They may not be spun up, spun down, or rerolled. They do not have an energy type.

Used Pile: This is where dice you use end up. At the end of your turn, all dice that are Out of Play are moved to the Used Pile. Purchased dice are also placed directly in the Used Pile, along with un­fielded character dice after your Main Step. Any Energy spent on your opponent’s turn goes directly to the Used Pile, along with remaining energy cleared from your Reserve Pool during the Clear and Draw Step. When you need to draw one or more dice, and your bag is empty, you re­fill it will all dice in your Used Pile (not including any dice that are Out of Play) and continue drawing. This is how the dice you purchase will eventually cycle through your bag to be rolled and used.

When Fielded: An effect that takes place when you pay a character’s fielding cost to move it to the Field Zone, or an ability explicitly allows you to “field” (not “move,” “place,” “return,” or “swap” a die into the Field Zone) a die from a different location. These abilities take place once for each copy of that die you field.

While Active: See Active.

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