The timing of Digimon TCG's English launch could not have been more inconvenient. For most of the world, in-person tournaments have been largely impossible to attend, but as pandemic-stricken skies begin to clear (pardon the poor attempt at metaphor) just in time for BT-04 Great Legend, you just might be lucky enough to attend as a last-minute pre-release tournament. So, you must be wondering... "What in the world do I do now?"

So, what is a pre-release?

Pre-release refers to a Digimon TCG event that typically happens, as you might have guessed, before a new release. Under most circumstances, you will find that these events do not occur after a new set has already seen an official release, but given shipping delays related to the current state of the world, many local game shops have opted to host BT-04 events whenever they're able to.

There is a lot of benefits to going to a pre-release event. For starters, you'll get yourself 6 booster packs for the new set before anyone else. You'll be using them right away, but more on that in the next section. You'll also get your hands on a special pre-release pack containing 2 cards from the set stamped with gold trimming, and clearly marked to show that you were at the event. These cards are fully playable, and make great showpieces for your collection, after all, this is the only place you can find them. But, the real cherry on top for those attending these sorts of events are those sweet, sweet promos. For this set, you'll be looking at scoring a copy of the much sought-after Pulsemon (P-028) just for entering, and those who do really well can look forward to a special Alt-art copy of MagnaAngemon (ST3-08). Promos like these only turn up around pre-release time, so get your hands on them where you can, collecters will be sure to be looking for their playsets.

What is the SEALED format?

The first thing you'll need to know is that official pre-release events operate using the SEALED format for the game, which comes with some slightly altered rules. While each set that releases will have its own flavor to it, the rules for the format will remain the same. You can check out the full list of the ruling here, but for the 'TLDR' minded in the audience, here's a brief rundown of how it works:

So, what's so different?

Remember those 6 booster packs we mentioned earlier, well pay close attention to them because the cards inside are what you'll be using to play throughout the entire event. You'll be opening those packs and constructing a 40 card deck (10 cards less than you would in a regular game), and a 0-5 card Digi-Egg deck to play with. Trading cards before or during the event will not be allowed. What you pull is what you've got to work with (and that's half the fun).

Worry not, there are a few built-in benefits to help make the chaos of turning your new, random pile of cards into a functioning deck a little bit easier on you. Firstly, that pesky rule about only being able to include 4 copies of any given card, you can go ahead and ignore that one for a SEALED event. This is in place to make sure player who happen to pull a copy of the same card in every pack isn't left at a disadvantage, but it can lead to some interesting deck building choices that aren't possible in other formats if luck is on your side. Secondly, there is a new (to some players) deck called the sideboard. All of those cards you didn't use in the construction of your deck will live here, on the sideboard, and you'll be allowed to use these cards to change up and retool your 40 card deck between games if your strategy isn't quite working out so far. Thirdly, SEALED games run a bit shorter than regular games do, and this can sometimes lead to decking out. To compensate for this, you and your opponent will only be setting up 4 security cards (one less than the usual) at the beginning of the game. And finally, and absolutely most importantly, is one small rules change that makes a world of difference: In SEALED format games, players can completely ignore the color requirements for digivolution. That's right, a level 3 Digimon of any color can digivolve on top of your freshly hatched Digi-Egg. That big level 6 you've been hoping to focus your deck on, go ahead and slap them down on any level 5 you happen to get on board. This ruling opens up an insane amount of strategies that wouldn't be possible in a regular game of Digimon.

So, how should I build my 40 card deck?

There really are no limits to what you can build with the cards you pull, and because of the random nature of those pulls, you'll likely be forming your strategy on the fly based on what Lady Luck has dropped onto your lap that particular day. That said, I'd never tease you with this section if I didn't have just a few common tips and pointers that generally can be helpful in the format. 

Tip number 1 is simple: You know it, I know it, everyone who plays the game knows it; rookies are going to be your bread and butter. just like in a regular game, there is nothing quite as frustrating as being on the receiving end of more level 3 Digimon than you wanted to count charging forward. Not only that but because you can ignore color restrictions when digivolving, dropping one of them onto your freshly hatched Digi-Egg is an easier than ever way to draw that extra card. You're going to want to put in as many rookies as you're comfortable with as a nice fallback for when your big combos don't line up as easily as they might in a more constructed deck.

Tip number 2: Everybody playing around you is already aware of tip number 1, be ready to counter this! Blockers! Blockers! Blockers! The first thing I do when opening my 6 booster packs is set aside every single blocker I have. For me, those are immediate auto includes; I have a difficult time imagining a situation where too many blockers might be a problem. Lead with your blockers every time. If will force your opponent not to rely on rushing you with their level 3s, and to attempt to use their equally random pile of cards in ways that can lead to mistakes. 

Tip number 3: Look at what's new in the set. With the release of each new set comes a new style of play. For BT-04 some of the new themes include Digi-Burst and Hybrid cards. As such, there a good chance that there will be a large number of cards in your 6 packs that interact with those new mechanics. A good way to form a cohesive strategy is to focus on what works with those. Strabimon and Flamon, for example, are able to search for any Digimon with [Hybrid] their form, something you, with any luck, will have a lot of in your deck. Even if those Hybrid cards aren't ones you necessarily want to play, there is something to be said for getting them into your hand and thinning your deck out so that you can get to those cards you really do want. Another way to spin this tip is to know that it also works in reverse. If you know that this set is filled to digi-bursting (see what I did there?) with a certain new type of cards, a really fun way to shake things up is to find those few cards that specifically work against the card you know everyone else is likely to be playing.

In conclusion

Pre-release events are not only your best way to ensure that you're among the first to open up each new set of cards but are a ton of fun. If you're reading this, you likely don't need convincing that Digimon TCG is a fun game, but SEALED events are a ton of fun in their uniqueness. They tend to be quite casual and are always a laugh. After all, nobody's pride is on the line if their strategy for this utterly random collection of cards didn't quite work out. Due to the uniqueness of the rules, you'll see heaps of strategies and combos that wouldn't be allowed anywhere else. You'll laugh, make friends, see new play styles, and walk out with not only the first wave of a new set but a few cards you can't get anywhere else too.

So, here's hoping this guide gives you that little edge you need to score one of those sweet, sweet BT-04 promos; and if your part of the world hasn't quite made it out of lockdown yet, we can all look forward to taking this knowledge to the pre-release events for BT-05 Battle of Omni in person this August!