Sakura Arms Beginner's Guide

What is Sakura Arms?

Sakura Arms (ふるよに) is a 2-player dueling card game created by BakaFire Party. Each player selects 2 Megami, then builds a 10-card deck chosen from a combined pool of 22 cards. The goal is to reduce the opponent's Life to 0.

The game's defining feature is a resource-management system in which a fixed pool of 36 Sakura Petals (桜花結晶) circulates across five zones throughout the entire game. Every action—attacking, defending, and playing cards—involves moving these petals between zones.

Win Condition

Reduce all 10 of your opponent's Life petals to zero.

Attack cards show two numbers, such as "3/1". The left is Aura damage; the right is Life damage. The defending player chooses which damage to receive.

• Take Aura damage: petals move from your Aura to the Dust. Defense decreases but Life is protected.
• Take Life damage: petals move from your Life to your Flare. You lose HP but gain resources for Special cards.

This choice—how to receive damage—creates Sakura Arms' signature tension.

Sakura Petals and the Five Zones

All 36 Sakura Petals in the game are fixed; they never increase or decrease. They move between five zones:

Distance (shared zone)

Represents the distance between the two players. Starts at 10. Every attack card has a valid range, and attacks can only be used when the current Distance falls within that range. Distance management is the most crucial skill in Sakura Arms.

Aura (per player / max 5)

Your defensive buffer. Starts at 3. Taking Aura damage reduces petals here. If your Aura is 0, you cannot choose Aura damage, so Life is exposed. Try to keep Aura at 2 or more.

Life (per player / starts at 10)

Your hit points. Reaching 0 means defeat. Life damage moves petals to Flare.

Flare (per player)

The resource pool for Special cards (Kirihuda). Starts at 0. Grows when you take Life damage or use the Concentrate action.

Dust (shared zone)

A temporary holding zone for spent petals. You can recover petals from Dust to your Aura using the Gather action.

Setup

Megami Selection

Each player secretly selects 2 Megami, then both players reveal simultaneously.

Pre-battle Deckbuilding (眼前構築)

After seeing the opponent's Megami, each player builds their deck. From the combined pool of 2 Megami (14 Normal cards + 8 Special cards = 22 total), choose 7 Normal cards and 3 Special cards to form your 10-card deck.

Because you build after seeing your opponent, reading their strategy is key. This is Sakura Arms' unique "眼前構築" (pre-battle deckbuilding) system.

Initial Layout

1. Determine first and second player
2. Shuffle the 7 Normal cards into a draw pile
3. Place the 3 Special cards face-down beside it
4. Draw 3 cards from the deck
5. One mulligan allowed (return unwanted cards to the bottom of the deck, draw the same number)
6. Starting state: Distance 10, each player's Aura 3, Life 10

The first player starts with 0 Vigor; the second player starts with 1 Vigor.

Turn Structure

Each turn has three phases (the first player skips the Opening Phase on turn 1).

Opening Phase

1. Gain 1 Vigor (max 2)
2. Remove 1 petal from each Enhancement card in play; cards that reach 0 are discarded and their discard effects trigger
3. If the draw pile is empty, perform Reconstruction
4. Draw 2 cards from the deck

Main Phase

Perform Basic Actions and play cards in any order, any number of times.

Basic Actions cost 1 Vigor or 1 card discarded face-down.

Five Basic Actions

Action	Petal movement	Effect
Advance	Distance → your Aura	Move closer (Aura max 5)
Retreat	your Aura → Distance	Move away
Gather	Dust → your Aura	Recover defense
Concentrate	your Aura → your Flare	Build resources for Special cards
Disengage	Dust → Distance	Escape from close range (Distance ≤ 2 only)

When Distance drops to 2 or below, Disengage replaces Advance.

Closing Phase

If your hand exceeds the hand limit, discard down to the limit.

Card Types

Normal vs. Special Cards

• Normal cards: Played from hand; go to the discard pile after use; return to the deck when Reconstruction occurs.
• Special cards: Cost Flare to use; remain face-down beside your area; can be played any time the cost is met.

Card Subtypes

• Attack: Used within the valid distance range; deals Aura/Life damage.
• Action: Takes effect immediately (moving petals, drawing cards, etc.).
• Enhancement: Stays in play; place a number of petals equal to its Enchant value when played; loses 1 petal in the Opening Phase; has In-play, Timing, and Discard effects.
• Reaction: Can interrupt the opponent's attack. Exists as both Normal and Special cards.

Special Subtypes

• Full Force: Using this card ends your Main Phase immediately—no other actions for the rest of the turn. The effect is proportionally powerful.
• Reaction: Can be used during the opponent's attack.

Reconstruction

When the draw pile is empty, perform Reconstruction during the Opening Phase:

1. Gather the discard pile and all used cards, shuffle them into a new draw pile.
2. Take 1 Life damage (a petal moves from your Life to your Flare).

This damage is unavoidable, so managing the pace of card usage is important. Calculating Reconstruction timing is a key skill for intermediate play.

Megami Selection Tips

Recommended Megami for Beginners

• Yurina (Sword): High attack power and straightforward card effects. "Kiri" and "Issen" are simple, powerful attacks at distance 3–4. Great starting point.
• Saine (Naginata): Wide range of distance 3–5 with excellent Reaction cards. Balanced offense and defense.
• Tokoyo (Fan): Strong defensive style with Reactions that redirect enemy attacks. Learn the fundamentals of reacting here.
• Himika (Gun): Excels at long-range attacks at distance 5+. Great for learning the importance of distance management.

Thinking About Pairs

In Sakura Arms, you always choose 2 Megami, so the combination forms the foundation of your strategy.

• Align preferred distances: Yurina × Saine (both around distance 3–5) lets you attack consistently.
• Complement offense and defense: Pair a high-damage Megami with one that has strong Reactions.
• Special card synergy: When 2 Megami's Special cards combo well, explosive power unavailable to either alone becomes possible.
• Flexible deckbuilding: With 22 cards to choose from for a 10-card deck, combinations that can shift between aggressive and control builds based on the opponent are strongest.

Recommended Pairs for Beginners

• Yurina × Saine: Stable attacks at distance 3–5 with solid Reactions—a balanced all-rounder.
• Yurina × Tokoyo: High damage paired with an iron wall of Reactions.
• Saine × Himika: Cover near to far range; always have attack options at any distance.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Emptying Your Aura

With 0 Aura you cannot choose Aura damage, so everything hits Life. The urge to Concentrate and build Flare is understandable, but remember to Gather your Aura back. Aim to keep at least 2 Aura.

Ignoring Distance Management

Learn your opponent's attack ranges and try to stay outside them. At the same time, keep yourself within your own attack range.

Over-concentrating

Special cards are powerful, but sacrificing Aura to stockpile Flare leaves you vulnerable. Wait for moments when the opponent's pressure is low before you Concentrate.

Underestimating Reconstruction Damage

Every Reconstruction costs 1 Life. That can be fatal in the late game. How you use cards in the first cycle has a large impact on subsequent rounds—plan ahead.

Mistiming Full-Force Cards

A Full-Force card ends your Main Phase. Use them when conditions are ideal—low opponent Aura, distance within range—to maximize their effect.

Improving Your Game

Back-calculate Damage

You need to drain the opponent's 10 Life. Calculate how much damage your deck can output and estimate how many turns that requires. Include Reconstruction damage in that calculation.

Receiving Attacks

The choice between Aura damage and Life damage is one of the most important decisions in the game.

• Early game: Taking small hits as Life damage builds up Flare, enabling Special-card counterattacks.
• Late game: With less Life remaining, take Aura damage to endure longer.
• Always factor in the opponent's remaining attack options when deciding.

Memorize the Opponent's Cards

Pre-battle deckbuilding means both Megami are visible. Know the cards they could be running—especially powerful Special cards and Reaction cards—and adjust your play accordingly.

Next Steps

After mastering the basics, progress through these steps:

• Browse the card list to explore each Megami's cards and find your favorites.
• Use the Pair tool to compare card pools across 2-Megami combinations.
• Repeat one pair until you internalize the deck's rhythm and flow.
• Start thinking about different pre-battle builds based on the opponent's Megami.