The Fundamental Brawling Handbook

OFFICIAL GUNDALIAN INVADERS HANDBOOK

Table of Contents

01. The Bakugan
02. The Mechanical Bakugan
03. The Cyborg Bakugan
04. The Traps, Battle Gear and BakuNano
05. Gate Cards
06. Ability Cards
07. The Life Gauge
08. Life Gauge Rules
09. Bakugan Rules
10. The Mechanical Bakugan Rules
11. The Cyborg Bakugan Rules
12. Battle Gear and BakuNano Rules
13. Bakugan Trap Rules
14.Throwing Rules
15. Gate Card Rules
16. Ability Card Rules
17. The Bakugan Brawl

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01. THE BAKUGAN
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"Bakugan" is a game where two players combat each other with battling beasts in order to wipe out the opponent's 500 Life Points on their Life Gauge (or win 2 out of 3 set rounds). The player who wipes out all of the opponent's Life Points first ( or wins 2 of 3 rounds) wins.

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Bakugan are sentient, powerful creatures. Through a universal phenomenon, these creatures take the form of marble-like spheres that pop open and transform into miniature battling beasts. This transformation is considered a Bakugan transforming into "Battle Mode". The only way for the Bakugan to reveal its figurine form is to land on special "Gate Cards" which contain metal and attract to a magnet located at the underside of each Bakugan. Once the magnet is attracted to the metal, a spring-loaded propulsion system pops the Bakugan ball open into a battling beast.

When a player begins a Bakugan battle, one player must first set a "Gate Card" and throw a Bakugan on top of it, the Bakugan assumes Battle Mode, but will also transform into its true form, a large and powerful creature. These creatures will then do battle with each other until a winner is decided and the game has ended. Once the game ends, the Bakugan will return to ball form, until it is sent into battle once again.

Bakugan always have at least 8 stats. They are:

Power Level: The original amount of power a Bakugan has during a game. It is also referred to as the "base power level", this number increases and decreases with the activation and negation of “Abilities”. This stat is crucial in dealing damage to an enemy.
Health: The amount of stamina and energy the Bakugan has left in the current round. When this number falls to zero, the Bakugan loses the round due to too much damage and physical exhaustion.

Defense: This stat informs the player of how much damage an attack on the Bakugan will reduce by. The attack damage amount is divided by the amount of Defense a Bakugan, inside a simple 4 step calculation, has in order to determine the true amount of Health lost.

Evasion: The speed at which a Bakugan can move and evade an attack.

Special Shot: The amount of Power a Bakugan builds up by standing. Think of this as the Bakugan getting more and more warmed up as each round passes. A Bakugan team gets psyched enough, one can unleash some powerful effects when it stands upon a Gate Card. This effect is called a Special Shot which will be discussed later.

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And some Bakugan even possess the following stat:

Special Effect: This is the unique power of the Bakugan. Most Special Effects are only usable once per game, so use them wisely.

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02. THE MECHANICAL BAKUGAN
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Mechanical Bakugan are cybernetic creations designed by Vestal scientists themselves. They function almost exactly like a living Bakugan, but hold far greater power. Mechanical Bakugan possess a unique stat. The "Energy Level" stat.

Energy Level: Found only on completely Mechanical Bakugan and Cyborg Bakugan. The Energy Level stat is the special limit on Mechanical Bakugan served as a fail-safe to prevent the Bakugan from overloading and crashing its system. The Energy Level is somewhat like a combination of the "Special Shot Meter" of a Bakugan. Whenever Ability Cards are used for Mechanical Bakugan, the power is taken out of the Mechanical Bakugan's Energy Level as well, and the Energy Level will drop. Energy Levels always reset themselves back to full power at the start of a new round, but will deplete by exactly how many Energy Points are required to activate the Ability Card(s). Mechanical Bakugan can never activate more Ability Cards than the Energy Level can handle, or the Mechanical Bakugan will shut down lose the round automatically.

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03. THE CYBORG BAKUGAN
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Cyborg Bakugan are half organic and half cybernetic creations designed by scientists themselves. They function almost exactly like a living Bakugan, but hold the same far greater power that Mechanical Bakugan possess. Cyborg Bakugan also possess a the "Energy Level" stat.

Energy Level: Found on Cyborg Bakugan. The Energy Level stat is the special limit on Cyborg Bakugan serves as a fail-safe to prevent the Bakugan from overloading and crashing its system. The Energy Level is somewhat like a combination of the "Special Shot Meter" of a Bakugan. Whenever Ability Cards are used for Cyborg Bakugan, the power is taken out of the Cyborg Bakugan's Energy Level as well, and the Energy Level will drop. Energy Levels always reset themselves back to full power at the start of a new round, but will deplete by exactly how many Energy Points are required to activate the Ability Card(s). Cyborg Bakugan can never activate more Ability Cards than the Energy Level can handle, or the Cyborg Bakugan's system will shut down lose the round automatically.
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04. THE TRAPS, BATTLE GEAR AND BAKUNANO
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Bakugn Traps, very similar to Bakugan, only completely uncommunicative and possessing a wide variety of shapes for each Bakugan Trap. Bakugan Traps can be played at any time at all in game, but only one can be used per round, per player. Unlike Bakugan themselves, Bakugan Traps automatically stand in a battle and don't require a Bakugan Throw to be used. Because of this, Bakugan Traps always result in a normal stand whenever played.

Bakugan Traps have the power to activate one their own signature Ability Cards during a battle, even if the player is limited to just three for the round. Bakugan Traps have their own innate power to use an Ability Card outside of the card limit boundaries, but their own limit still persists. That limit is one Bakugan Trap Ability Card per round.

Somewhat similar to Bakugan, only completely dependent upon the Brawler and Bakugan; possessing a wide variety of shapes for each Battle Gear and BakuNano. Battle Gear and BakuNano can be played at any time at all in the game during your turn, but only one can be used per round, per player. Battle Gear and BakuNano automatically stand and synchronize with a Bakugan in a battle, and don't require any special requirements (other than Level compatibility) to be used. Because of this, Battle Gear and BakuNano always results in a successful merging with a Bakugan whenever played.

Battle Gear have their own innate power to use an Ability Card outside of the card limit boundaries, but their own limit still persists. That limit is dependent upon one thing; Energy Meter. If the Energy Meter to support a Level II Class Battle Gear Ability activation is not sufficient, the attack is not possible and fails. Therefore, you need a Level I Class Battle Gear Ability to charge the Energy Meter of the Battle Gear for a stronger attack that can possibly reach as mighty as Level III Class. There are others ways, such as Special Effects or Gate Cards that can also raise the Energy Meter of in-play Battle Gear.

BakuNano, being powerful devices that equip to a Bakugan, can have a variety of effects. These creations do not use Ability Cards, but have effects that activate on their own after a given set of turns after the BakuNano has been equipped. These Effects activate automatically and cannot be negated unless an Effect allows the BakuNano to be removed from the field.

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05. GATE CARDS
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Gate Cards are the metallic cards used to open the Bakugan and transform it into its true form. Gate Cards are metallic cards which are set face-down on the battlefield.

At the beginning of each game, one player selects one Gate Card from his/her deck and exclaims "Gate Card Set!" as he/she throws it onto the battlefield. The Gate Card will then enlarge to cover the entire field in the dimensional structure and vanish from sight.

Immediately after setting a Gate Card, one player takes one Bakugan from their arsenal and throws it onto the Gate Card on the battlefield. Once the Bakugan stands, it transforms into Battle Mode, then into its creature-like state.

When two or more Bakugan land on a Gate Card, and they are both on opposing sides, a Bakugan Battle will take place, where the player who set the Gate Card will have the option of activating it by exclaiming "Gate Card Open!". A Gate Card cannot be opened when less than two Bakugan are on the Gate Card. Once this is accomplished, the Gate Card will activate either a boost in power for a specific attribute or a special and often powerful effect similar to that of an "Ability Card". This effect is designed to assist or restrain one or more players' Bakugan in the battle. However, there are counter moves which can sometimes alter the effect of the Gate Card, or cancel it altogether.
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06. ABILITY CARDS
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Ability Cards are various cards which players activate in order to assist their Bakugan in the battle. Ability Cards have a very wide range of effects and can do almost anything in a battle to help you. Unlike Gate Cards, however, Ability Cards are rather conditional and are often played on specific Bakugan in the battle, whereas Gate Cards are more about affecting any type of Bakugan in the game. Ability Cards are usually played during a Bakugan battle. However, Ability Cards can only be activated during your turns, never the opponent's.
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07. THE LIFE GAUGE
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The Life Gauge is the source of health for the corresponding player and the only thing keeping you alive in the battle. All Life Gauges begin at 500 points, and once the results from battle drain it to 0, the player whose Life Gauge has been depleted entirely loses the game.
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08. LIFE GAUGE RULES
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All Life Gauges start off at 500 points, and can never be raised past that number. A player's Life Gauge is his/her most important tool. As you've read above, once the Life Gauge reaches 0, the player whose Life Gauge it belonged to loses the game. The most common and effective method to drain an opponent's Life Gauge is to increase the difference in power between both sides' power level totals during a battle, and dealing significant damage to the opposing player's Bakugan. The Life Gauge is set to decrease by as many points as the power Level difference divided by the weaker Bakugan's Defense. This final amount is then subtracted from the losing player's Life Gauge in order to determine the true Life Gauge damage that’s dealt to the user. Other methods to decrease or even raise a Life Gauge can be found using special effects, or other methods.
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09. BAKUGAN RULES
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You have learned what Bakugan are and what they do, but not necessarily when and how to use them. In Bakugan, it is crucial to know these rules about all Bakugan in the game.

1. Only THREE Bakugan are allowed per game, and only one Bakugan can be thrown per round. Once you land on the Gate Card successfully, the Bakugan remains there until a battle is engaged and has been completed. Other Bakugan can be thrown in from Ability Cards or Special Effects.

2. Defeated Bakugan may be reused in battle. Once a Bakugan has been bested by the other player in any way and is considered defeated, it is possible to return it into battle as long as your Life Gauge is still fueled by even the smallest amount.

3. Attributes: All Bakugan come in specific colors and symbols which indicate what attribute it belongs to. There are six known Bakugan attributes: Pyrus, SubTerra, Haos, Darkus, Aquos, and Ventus. Make sure that when you activate cards or effects for these Bakugan, they match the attribute and/or type of said Bakugan.

4. Power Levels: The power level of a Bakugan is only revealed when a Bakugan opens up and stands on the battlefield. Power levels are the power points which Bakugan harbor and use to defeat their opponents. Normally, the Bakugan with the higher power level total at the end of the battle is declared the winner of said battle. Some cards make exceptions to this rule.

5. *OPTIONAL UPON AGREEMENT* When a Guardian Bakugan is defeated in battle by an opponent’s Bakugan’s attack that has resulted in 500-point Life Gauge damage or more (final rounding off of the damage included), after calculation, that Guardian that were defeated in the round are then transferred to the winner's Brawling Profile. In order to return the Guardian Bakugan back to your own Brawling Profile, you must find the player who captured it last and defeat him/her by dealing 500+ points of Life Gauge damage in one attack in order to reclaim it. Finally, players on opposing teams must capture the other player's Guardian Bakugan if he/she has wiped out an opponent’s Life Gauge by at least 500 points in one go. Players on the same team may capture the opposing ally's Guardian Bakugan, but can choose not to.

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10. THE MECHANICAL BAKUGAN RULES
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You have learned what Mechanical Bakugan are and what they do, but not necessarily when and how to use them. In Bakugan, it is crucial to know these rules about all Mechanical Bakugan in the game.

1. Only THREE Bakugan are allowed per game, and only one Bakugan can be thrown per round. Once you land on the Gate Card successfully, the Bakugan remains there until a card is activated to return it back to your hand, or a battle is engaged and has been completed.

2. Defeated Mechanical Bakugan may be reused in battle. Once a Mechanical Bakugan has been bested by the other player in any way and is considered defeated, it is possible to return it into battle as long as your Life Gauge is still fueled by even the smallest amount.

3. Attributes: All Bakugan come in specific colors and symbols which indicate what attribute it belongs to. There are six known Bakugan attributes: Pyrus, Sub-Terra, Haos, Darkus, Aquos, and Ventus. Make sure that when you activate cards or effects for these Bakugan, they match the attribute of said Bakugan.

4. Power Levels: The power level of a Bakugan is only revealed when a Bakugan opens up and stands on the battlefield. Power levels are the power points which Bakugan harbor and use to defeat their opponents. Normally, the Bakugan with the higher power level total at the end of the battle is declared the winner of said battle. Some cards make exceptions of this rule.

5. *OPTIONAL UPON AGREEMENT* When a Mechanical Bakugan is defeated in battle by an opponent’s Bakugan’s attack that has resulted in 500-point Life Gauge damage or more (final rounding off of the damage included), after calculation, that Mechanical Bakugan that were defeated in the round are then transferred to the winner's Brawling Profile. In order to return the Mechanical Bakugan back to your own Brawling Profile, you must find the player who captured it last and defeat him/her by dealing 500+ points of Life Gauge damage in one attack in order to reclaim it. Finally, players on opposing teams must capture the other player's Mechanical Bakugan if he/she has wiped out an opponent’s Life Gauge by at least 500 points in one go. Players on the same team may capture the opposing ally's Mechanical Bakugan, but can choose not to.

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11. THE CYBORG BAKUGAN RULES
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You have learned what Cyborg Bakugan are and what they do, but not necessarily when and how to use them. In Bakugan, it is crucial to know these rules about all Cyborg Bakugan in the game.

1. Only THREE Bakugan are allowed per game, and only one Bakugan can be thrown per round. Once you land on the Gate Card successfully, the Bakugan remains there until a card is activated to return it back to your hand, or a battle is engaged and has been completed.

2. Defeated Cyborg Bakugan may be reused in battle. Once a Cyborg Bakugan has been bested by the other player in any way and is considered defeated, it is possible to return it into battle as long as your Life Gauge is still fueled by even the smallest amount.

3. Attributes: All Bakugan come in specific colors and symbols which indicate what attribute it belongs to. There are six known Bakugan attributes: Pyrus, Sub-Terra, Haos, Darkus, Aquos, and Ventus. Make sure that when you activate cards or effects for these Bakugan, they match the attribute of said Bakugan.

4. Power Levels: The power level of a Bakugan is only revealed when a Bakugan opens up and stands on the battlefield. Power levels are the power points which Bakugan harbor and use to defeat their opponents. Normally, the Bakugan with the higher power level total at the end of the battle is declared the winner of said battle. Some cards make exceptions of this rule.

5. *OPTIONAL UPON AGREEMENT* When a Cyborg Bakugan is defeated in battle by an opponent’s Bakugan’s attack that has resulted in 500-point Life Gauge damage or more (final rounding off of the damage included), after calculation, that Cyborg Bakugan that was defeated in the round are then transferred to the winner's Brawling Profile. In order to return the Cyborg Bakugan back to your own Brawling Profile, you must find the player who captured it last and defeat him/her by dealing 500+ points of Life Gauge damage in one attack in order to reclaim it. Finally, players on opposing teams must capture the other player's Cyborg Bakugan if he/she has wiped out an opponent’s Life Gauge by at least 500 points in one go. Players on the same team may capture the opposing ally's Cyborg Bakugan, but can choose not to.

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12. BATTLE GEAR AND BAKUNANO RULES
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*For the sake of this section, Battle Gear and BakuNano will be referred to as "Battle Gear" as a whole.*

You have learned what Battle Gear are and what they do, but not necessarily when and how to use them. In Bakugan, it is crucial to know these rules about all Battle Gear in the game.

The following pertains to all types of Battle Gear.

1. Only THREE Battle Gear are allowed per game, and only one Battle Gear can be launched per round. Battle Gear are special Bakugan equipment that automatically result in a regular stand whenever thrown. In order for a move that a Battle Gear has been equipped to be valid, players must post it as if they were throwing a Bakugan. Players can equip a Battle Gear to one Bakugan in the game during mid-battle only once per round. When you equip the Battle Gear successfully, the Battle Gear remains attached to the corresponding Bakugan until a card or effect is activated to return it back to your hand, or a battle is engaged and has been completed.

2. Battle Gear equipped to Bakugan that have been defeated may be reused in battle. Once a Bakugan equipped with a Battle Gear has been bested by the other player in any way and is considered defeated, it is possible to return that Battle Gear into battle as long as your Life Gauge is still fueled by even the smallest amount.

3. Power Level Boosts: The boost in power level of a Battle Gear is only revealed when a Battle Gear opens up and stands on the battlefield. Power level boosts are the power points which Battle Gear harbor and use to transfer to the Bakugan it’s synchronized to in order to defeat their opponents. Normally, the standard boost in power level for most Battle Gear is +100 points (or a multiplier for BakuNano). Some Battle Gear make exceptions of this rule. Battle Gear are capable of combining with the power levels of the other Bakugan the owner has in the battle, hence the merging, and an opponent can do nothing to attack a Battle Gear separately, as they are not Bakugan, but Bakugan equipment and cannot receive damage to Health that they do not possess. Some Special Effects and/or card effects make exceptions to this rule, but by no means are Battle Gear to EVER be attacked individually. Once a Battle Gear has been equipped to the synchronized Bakugan, the merging cannot be undone until the round is completed. Again, some Special Effects and/or card effects make exceptions of this rule.

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13. BAKUGAN TRAP RULES
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You have learned what Bakugan Traps are and what they do, but not necessarily when and how to use them. In Bakugan, it is crucial to know these rules about all Bakugan Traps in the game.

The following pertains to both living and Mechanical Bakugan Traps.

1. Only THREE Bakugan Traps are allowed per game, and only one Bakugan Trap can be thrown per round. Bakugan Traps are special Bakugan that stand automatically whenever thrown. Players can throw a Bakugan Trap into the game during mid-battle only once per round. When you land on the Gate Card successfully, the Bakugan Trap remains there until a card is activated to return it back to your hand, or a battle is engaged and has been completed.

2. Defeated Bakugan Traps may be reused in battle. Once a Bakugan Trap has been bested by the other player in any way and is considered defeated, it is possible to return it into battle as long as your Life Gauge is still fueled by even the smallest amount.

3. Attributes: All Bakugan Traps come in specific colors and symbols which indicate what attribute it belongs to. There are six known Bakugan attributes: Pyrus, Sub-Terra, Haos, Darkus, Aquos, and Ventus. Make sure that when you activate cards or effects for these Bakugan, they match the attribute of said Bakugan Trap.

4. Power Levels: The power level of a Bakugan Trap is only revealed when a Bakugan Trap opens up and stands on the battlefield. Power levels are the power points which Bakugan Traps harbor and use to defeat their opponents. Normally, the Bakugan Trap with the higher power level total at the end of the battle is declared the winner of said battle. Some cards make exceptions of this rule. Bakugan Traps are capable of combining with the power levels of the other Bakugan the owner has in the battle.

5. *OPTIONAL UPON AGREEMENT* When a Bakugan or Bakugan Trap is defeated in battle by a Bakugan that has bested its power level by 500 points or more, all of the Bakugan or Bakugan Traps defeated in the round are then transferred to the winner's Profile. In order to return the Bakugan back to your own Profile, you must find the player who captured it last and defeat him/her by 500 points in order to reclaim it. Finally, players on opposing teams must capture the other player's Bakugan if he/she has won by at least 500 points. Players on the same team may capture the opposing ally's Bakugan, but can choose not to.
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14. THROWING RULES
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There are 2 possible results a Bakugan can display after it has been thrown into the battle.

1. Stand: The image portraying a Bakugan ball opened that symbolizes transforming into the battling beast within with the word "Stand" in the foreground. Stands basically tell you that your Bakugan has landed on the Gate Card, but nothing special results from it.

2. Power Stand: The image portraying Bakugan ball standing with the words "Power Stand", followed by a number that appears on the screen. Power Stands mean that the Bakugan thrown in the battle gains a little boost in Power Level upon its reveal. If there aren't any Bakugan belonging to your opponent on the battlefield, the Power Stand is still considered to be successful and the number on screen is added to your Bakugan's Power Level.
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15. GATE CARD RULES
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Now that the Bakugan have been explained thoroughly, here are the steps to ensure proper use of the Gate Cards in Bakugan.

1. Only THREE Gate Cards are allowed per game, and only one Gate Card can be set per turn. At the beginning of any game, one player sets down ONE Gate Card and begins the brawl.

2. Used Gate Cards may NOT be reused in the game. Once your Gate Card is used up or is nullified, it is not to be used again for the duration of the brawl. There are no exceptions to this rule.

3. Opening Gate Cards: Gate Cards can only be opened when two or more Bakugan are standing on them. When a Gate Card opens, its boost in power or special effect is revealed and takes place immediately. Players may not open their opponent's Gate Cards under any circumstances.
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16. ABILITY CARD RULES
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Gate Cards and Bakugan have been explained, now for the Ability Cards. Follow these rules carefully, as Ability Cards are the one of the most difficult aspects of Bakugan to play properly.

1. An infinite number of Ability Cards are allowed per game, but maximum of only five normal Ability Cards may be activated per round (3 Abilities for Levels 1, 4 Abilites for Level 2, and 5 Abilities for Level 3 and above). Ability Cards can be activated before, or during a battle, but both uses drain the player’s Ability Card chances. Every Ability Card activated must have the Bakugan (or attribute) which it is activated for already present on the battlefield before its activation.

2. Used Ability Cards may be reused in the game. However, the same Ability Card cannot be used in the same round they were activated. Some cards actually do make exceptions to this rule. The signature Ability Cards belonging to Guardian Bakugan may have multiple copies of those cards which can technically override this rule and be used twice per round. This is indicated by a "(2x)" being included before the name of the Ability Card that has been identified as a signature Ability for Guardian Bakugan.

3. When a player has a Battle Gear in the battle, it is capable of activating Ability Cards for itself only. This total is determined on Energy Meters granted by the Abilities themselves. In order to activate a Level II Class Battle Gear Ability, the Level I Class Battle Gear Ability must have been activated and still be in effect fully. Some cards can be used to escalate the Battle Gear’s Energy Meter without the use of an active lower Level Class Battle Gear Ability.

Each Battle Gear Ability grants the Bakugan equipped with the Battle Gear the power needed to charge the Battle Gear for a stronger attack. If the power to support a Level II or higher Class Battle Gear Ability activation is not accumulated, the attack is not possible and fails. Therefore, you need at least an Energy Meter of 100 in order for the Battle Gear to charge a stronger attack.
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17. THE BAKUGAN BRAWL
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To begin a brawl, the players decide who starts by selecting a mutual Bakugan to throw. Then, one player chooses one Gate Card from his/her deck and exclaims "Gate Card Set" as he/she throws it down. Players roll for initiative to decide who will make the first move. That is the BakuMeter will flip a coin to determine who set the Gate Card and therefore, makes the first move.

Your opponent's turn is next. When he/she stands his/her Bakugan onto the card where your own is currently standing, a battle ensues. Calculate power levels, and activate an Ability or Abilities if you so desire. Even launch Battle Gear or Bakugan Trap if you have one. When the player decides to, and the field is clear of attacks, the player whose Gate Card the Bakugan are battling on opens it up and brings either a boost in power or a whole new effect into the battle. Once both players have exhausted all options or an agreement to end the round has been decided, the damage of the loser is then subtracted from the losing player's Life Gauge in order to determine the true Life Gauge damage that’s dealt to the user. Again, if you lose the battle, your Bakugan may be used again during any future rounds, but you subtract points from your Life Gauge equal to the amount of power that the opponent's Bakugan dealt, and subtract that total damage from the losing player's Life Gauge.

Repeat the process until the opponent's Life Gauge has been completely depleted one way or another. Once this happens, you win the game.
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NOTE: SEE THE CONDENSED BRAWLING HANDBOOK TO SEE UPDATED ASPECTS OF THE GAME. THIS HANDBOOK IS MORE FOR THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME MORE THAN THE ADVANCED ASPECTS.