What’s a Partner?

A partner can be any Level R (Rookie) in the game. You’ll want to have one in every deck, since they confer distinct and inarguable advantages that normal Rookies just don’t offer. Things can get a bit complicated, so it’s let’s break down what a partner can do:

• Evolve very quickly, before the Evolution Phase even
• Toolbox one of two specific Champions for you
• Ignore DP and type while evolving from the Destiny Zone
• Use certain Option/Evolution/DATA cards as a proxy

How are they used?

Partners can be used in one of a couple scenarios in the game, and have several rules tailored specifically for odd cases they create. They’re essentially, a dedicated rule-breaker. Here are some of the scenarios, and a walkthrough of how partners change them:

Partner evolve tip: Make sure you pay attention to evolution box bonuses and DP cost—certain Bonuses are incredibly powerful to toolbox. Generally, higher DP-cost Champions are more powerful. Lower cost ones often give you less HP and potentially less Power overall. Since you get to ignore DP here, consider something like GeoGreymon if you want to make Dracomon your partner, for instance. Always consider what trade-offs you’re making when you do this, as your deck on the whole may benefit from something a bit weaker, but with more synergy. 

Evolution Phase: You’ll be able to Rack-Up DP, but you’ll have to skip everything else if you destiny evolved during the Prep Phase. That’s just the cost of having an easy toolbox! You won’t ever be able to destiny evolve and then play an evolution card like Level Crush on the same turn.

Post-evolution tip: Keep in mind that you may not always want to destiny evolve each time you have to play a partner. While it’s not ideal, if you absolutely must use your partner Rookie for a plain evolution, you will at least get to play beneficial evolution cards such as Burst Growth, which can be the difference between winning or losing some games. Just remember that destiny evolution is usually going to be the better option since it’s totally free and ignores DP.

Proxy Card: This is a card with a “P” in the upper left corner. You choose up to one card with this symbol for deck creation and place it into your destiny zone. When the time is appropriate (such as Supporting), you can discard your Partner from hand, if able, and substitute this “Proxy” from the DZ. Afterward, like all DZ cards leaving a zone, it is deleted. Pay attention to the timing of the proxy: while it’s usually “Support”, it can sometimes be the Any Phase of a DATA card (or DNA of it), or Evolve. Reminder: You never have to use the effects, even if you have a proxy with a Support ability and you support with your partner—you can choose to use your partner’s effect instead. This is a similar feature to the Digimon Card Battle video game’s customizable “digi-parts”.

Proxy tip: “OPTION” type cards aren’t the only ones with this magical little “P” symbol. Some evolution cards and all DATA cards have them too. There’s even an Ace called “Ace Chip” that’s partnerable! This often makes it easier to search than normal options. Keep a lookout for cards that you might need in a pinch such as Recovery Disk or Giga Cannon. This can be a powerful toolbox choice. Future card types may also have the “P”. 

DNA Evolving: This is technically in the previous category, but there is a fundamental difference. Since DATA cards can be “partnered” as your option, they can be called upon while performing DNA by discarding your Partner, then deleting the appropriate DATA card from your destiny zone. You would then follow normal DNA procedures.

DNA DATA tip: If you’re worried about discarding your partner for a mere DNA, consider using cards that Recycle. If you use one early enough, it will get your partner back immediately. Even recycle and shuffle is useful if you’re halfway through the game (and since most DNA is for Ultimate/Mega, you likely are). If you can’t get to it quickly, “recycle any” will let you cherry pick the partner for re-use. It seems a lot riskier than it is, since the game has many ways to mitigate the loss of the partner due to an effect. Don’t let that scare you off. 

Battle Phase: When your partner Rookie is in an active zone that gets KO’d, you get it back! As if your partner would give up that easily. It shuffles back into your deck and rests until you draw it for later use. Be careful though! Since any card that leaves a new zone after it comes from the DZ is always deleted, this means the partnered Champion from the DZ is deleted. You won’t be able to use that Champion again. Your partner will get less and less useful as the game progresses.

Battle tip: You always want to not die and give your opponent a KO point, but sometimes it’s not so bad if your partner is in the stack. For this reason, it’s recommended that you evaluate whether you should go to Mega with a partner in the active stack. Especially since “Potty Boat” might ruin your entire day. Megas usually live a longer time and this renders your partner less usable for less time, plus evolving to Mega first isn’t always a purely advantageous move. Have plans in place for getting your Partner when you need it such as “Partner Finder”, or just use free mulligans to get it in a pinch.

Summary

Partners are obviously powerful, modular, and have a wide range of utility. They’re also limited in that you can only have 1 Partner (copy) in your deck, 2 Champions in the DZ (and they have to have your Partner’s name in their evo-box), and 1 proxy in the DZ. However, mastering the partner card will take your game to the next level and allow you to outplay those that are lagging behind.