Alright, after ONE YEAR break from the any recent article,  i’ve decided to continue writing them as they have proved to be pretty popular. Today, we’re going to talk about somethings people have been asking about.

And, it’s not an easy topic so be prepared.

Check Timing,  Play Timing, Immediate Rule Resolutions and other judge phrases. Okay i’ve said it out.

Wait, isn’t WS a simple game? So what are these foreign phrases that judges have been throwing around? Read more to find out.

Alright we’ll have to face the fact that this topic is VERY dry and i cannot come up with any pictures to illustrate them (simply because they are the mechanics of the game). Read only at your own risk of boredom!

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CHECK TIMING (チェックタイミング)

By official definition in Japanese it is stated as the following under the Comprehensive Rulebook.

チェックタイミングとは、ゲーム中で発生したルール処理や自動能力のプレイを行う時点を指します。

Okay that’s doesn’t make a lot of sense to people who doesn’t understand Japanese now does it?

A simple translation of the definition (unofficial) by me and my fellow judges are the following:

Check Timing is a moment during gameplay when the resolution of a ruling or Automatic ability takes place.

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PLAY TIMING (プレイタイミング)

Play Timing is yet another term used pretty broadly, so what does it mean? Again, by Japanese text:

プレイタイミングとは、指定されたプレイヤーが能動的に行動を行うことのできる時点を指します。

Translation:

Play Timing is the moment during gameplay whereby a player performs action he is allowed to.

Play Timing and Check timing has very close ties with each other and grasping the concept of both is necessary to understand the full processes of the game mechanics.

A good example of multiple Check and Play Timings is below.

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Example 1

The Turn player is in his Main Phase and this is what happens -

Play Timing (already in Main Phase)
1. Check Timing occurs.
2. Turn player performs actions he is allowed to perform at that point of time, in this case to play Character cards, Event cards, to use Startup abilities or to shift/replace Character cards.
3. After turn player is done or chooses not to perform any action, he continue with the phase or sub phase.

Example 2

Playing a Climax card during the whole block of Climax phase.

Climax phase
1.  Check Timing occurs when this phase begins.
2.  Player chooses and places down Climax card on the border.
3.  Should a Character card’s ability meet it’s requirements for ability, the ability is put to “standby”, awaiting resolution.
4. End of Climax Phase. Check Timing occurs and resolution of Climax ability occurs. Resolution of  “standby” effects occur.

Example 3

Declaring an attack.

Declaration of Attack
1. Check Timing occurs when this phase begins
2. Turn player selects one Character card in 【Stand】 position and selects type of attack
3. Turn player puts that Character card to 【Rest】 position.
4. End of Attack Declaration step, Check Timing occurs again

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RESOLUTION AREA (解決領域)

Uh huh, very commonly used. The Japanese definition:

ゲームの進行中に、効果やダメージの解決中のカードが一時的に置かれる領域です。

In English,

The area where cards are placed during the resolution of Effects and Damage.

Okay basically, only the very few things below will need to be put to resolution area -

1) Event cards are put to Resolution Area and it’s Effect resolved before being placed in the Waiting Room.
2) Cards that are revealed during Damage Resolution
3) Cards overturned due to Brainstorm ability
4) Cards Triggered during Trigger Phase.

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IMMEDIATE RULE RESOLUTIONS (割り込み型ルール)

Okay we made the term up. It technically means “Cut-in Type Rule” but that doesn’t make any grammatical sense does it.

Official definition:

割り込み型ルール処理に分類されるルール処理は、ゲーム中にその処理が実行される条件が満たされた場合、どの時点であっても現在実行している行動を中断し、直ちにそのルール処理を実行します。そのルール処理の解決が終了した後に、それまで実行されていた行動の続きを行います。

WTF is that long string of text?! Okay basically it means.

Immediate Rule Resolutions are rule resolutions that will interrupt the game at the moment the condition for the resolution is fulfilled. The game will continue after all Immediate Rule Resolutions have resolved.

This normally applies to 2 major parts of WS, of which is Level Up and Deck Refresh. However do note that the player who is experiencing 2 Immediate Rule Resolutions clashing at the same time will be able to choose which one to resolve first.

Example 4

Leveling up and Refresh deck at the same time. -> Some cards put cards from the top deck to your Clock as either Cost for abilities or effect of abilities should some conditions fulfill. A fine example is Substitute Doll Fate (代わりの人形フェイト ) shown below.

Player is at Level 1, with 6 cards in his Clock and 1 card left in deck after sustaining damage from an opponent attack.

Battle Step
1. Substitute Doll Fate is put to 【Knockout】 mode
2. Check Timing occurs, effect of Substitute Doll Fate comes into resolution.
3. Due to both Immediate Rule Resolution comes into effect, player needs to choose if he wants to Level Up or Refresh deck first.

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CHECK RULE RESOLUTIONS(チェック型ルール処理)

Another term we made up. Offical definition below:

チェック型ルール処理に分類されるルール処理は、チェックタイミングにおいてのみ条件を満たしているかを確認し、満たされている場合に実行されます。他の行動の実行中に条件を満たしていても、チェックタイミングの段階でその条件が満たされていない場合、このルール処理は行われません。

In English, it means

Check Rule Resolution are rule resolutions that will only resolve during the next available Check Timing should the conditions be fulfilled.

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Alright i guess that settles things for some basic terminologies.

A big thank you to Wiki for major contributions and double checking every source of information listed above. Obviously knowing all these do not make you a full fledged Judge but these are probably some of the more important steps which are within WS, though pretty hidden in the whole game context.

For more information and obviously the offical source file for the Comprehensive Rules, do check out the 16 pages ultra long wall of text at the following website.

Next up, basic Floor Rules!