One Piece TCG: Card Keywords & Attributes Explained

Once you know the basic rules of the One Piece Card Game, the next step is learning to actually read a card at a glance. Every card is packed with shorthand — keywords in brackets, and small attribute icons — that tell you exactly what a card does and when. Here's a quick breakdown so you're never left guessing mid-match.

Keywords: The "When" and "What" of a Card

Keywords are the bracketed terms you'll see on almost every card. They tell you the timing of an effect — when it happens — followed by what it actually does.

[Active: Main] / [Main] These abilities can only be used during your own Main Phase, and only while the card is active (not rested).

[On Play] Triggers the instant the card is played from your hand.

[On K.O.] Triggers when the character is knocked out — whether through battle or another card's effect. By the time this resolves, the card is already sitting in the trash. Note: if a character is removed for another reason (like making room in a full Character Area), that doesn't count as being K.O.'d, so this won't trigger.

[On Block] Triggers when the character is used to block an incoming attack.

[On Your Opponent's Attack] A defensive timing keyword — the effect only fires during your opponent's attack step, often used to set up a surprise counter-play.

[Blocker] After your opponent declares an attack, you may rest this card to redirect the attack onto it instead of the original target.

[Trigger] If this card is revealed from your Life cards after you take damage, you may activate the effect printed after [Trigger].

[Once Per Turn] Limits an ability to a single use per turn — but only for that specific physical card. A second copy of the same card on the field gets its own separate use.

[Rush] Normally, a Character can't attack the turn it's played. [Rush] removes that restriction, letting the card swing immediately.

Attributes: A Character's Combat Style

Attributes are small icons shown next to a Leader or Character's power. There are six in total: Slash, Strike, Ranged, Special, Wisdom, and a rare sixth, "?".

• Slash – Characters who fight with bladed weapons like swords.
• Strike – Characters who fight hand-to-hand, using fists or physical blows.
• Ranged – Characters who attack from a distance, such as with firearms or thrown weapons.
• Wisdom – Characters whose fighting style leans on intellect and strategy rather than raw physical force.
• Special – A catch-all for characters who don't fit the categories above — often Devil Fruit users or characters with unique powers.
• "?" – An uncommon attribute reserved for characters whose combat style is deliberately left mysterious.

On their own, attributes are mostly flavor. But a good number of card effects reference them directly — like a Leader that boosts every Slash character's power, or a search effect that only finds Wisdom cards. New players can safely ignore attributes at first, but they become genuinely important once you start building around synergies.

Type of Cards,

[Leader Cards] : Your Leader sets the overall direction for your deck, and can attack and use effects. The Life value, shown in the lower right, determines how many Life cards you have. This number varies depending on your Leader card.

[Don!! Cards] : DON!! cards are used to pay costs or given to Leaders and Characters to boost their power. You gain 2 DON!! cards automatically each turn (up to 10 total; on turn 1, the first player only gets 1).

[Character Cards] : Character cards are played from your hand by paying their cost with DON!! cards. They have power and effects, and can attack your opponent's Leader or Characters. They're the core component of any battle.

[Event Cards] : Event cards are one-time effects you play from your hand by paying their DON!! cost. Many offer powerful effects, including some that can be used during your opponent's attack to turn the tides!

[Stage Card] : Stage cards are played from your hand using DON!! cards. You can only have one on your field at a time, and they provide ongoing effects that support your Leader or Characters.

Putting It All Together

Once you can read a keyword and recognize an attribute icon, you can pick up almost any One Piece TCG card and understand exactly what it does — no rulebook required. Keywords tell you the timing, the attribute tells you the character's fighting style, and together they're the language the whole game is written in.

Ready to start building? Check out our One Piece Card Game selection in store and online.