Digimon Effect or Tamer Effect? The Truth About "Treated as a Digimon"
When an information-adding effect makes a Tamer count as a Digimon, whose effect is it?
BT17-087 Marcus Damon's [On Play] effect makes one of your [Marcus Damon] "also treated as a Digimon with X000 DP." When that Tamer-now-Digimon activates an effect, is it a Digimon effect or a Tamer effect? Comprehensive Rules 15-12-1 (information-adding effects) decides.
Effects are classified by their source (15-2-1)
The both-at-once rule (15-12-1-6)
BT17-087 Marcus Damon's [On Play] effect: "until the end of your opponent's turn, 1 of your [Marcus Damon] is also treated as a Digimon with 3000 DP that can't digivolve, and it gains <Blocker>."
Effects like "also treated as a Digimon" are **information-adding effects** (15-12-1-1) — they append information to the card.
And Comprehensive Rules 15-12-1-6 says:
"If an effect that adds information causes a card to be treated as both a Digimon and a Tamer card, an effect activated by that card will be considered both a Digimon effect and a Tamer effect."
So the Tamer-as-Digimon activates effects that count as BOTH at once.
Effects like "also treated as a Digimon" are **information-adding effects** (15-12-1-1) — they append information to the card.
And Comprehensive Rules 15-12-1-6 says:
"If an effect that adds information causes a card to be treated as both a Digimon and a Tamer card, an effect activated by that card will be considered both a Digimon effect and a Tamer effect."
So the Tamer-as-Digimon activates effects that count as BOTH at once.
Example 1: Slipping past "only Tamer effects may add memory" (BT17-087 Q6011)
Q6011: under the opponent's "you can't gain memory except by Tamer effects," can your Digimon-treated Tamer's effect still gain you memory? → **Yes**
Why: the both-at-once effect still counts as a Tamer effect, so the restriction ("except by Tamer effects") doesn't catch it. Gaining the Digimon treatment never removed the Tamer treatment.
Why: the both-at-once effect still counts as a Tamer effect, so the restriction ("except by Tamer effects") doesn't catch it. Gaining the Digimon treatment never removed the Tamer treatment.
Example 2: Blocked by "isn't affected by Digimon effects" (BT17-087 Q6012)
Q6012: choose an opponent's "isn't affected by Digimon effects" card with your Digimon-treated Tamer's effect — does the influence land? → **No**
Why: the both-at-once effect also counts as a Digimon effect, so "isn't affected by Digimon effects" wards it off.
- As a pure Tamer effect it would have slipped through — but the added Digimon treatment brings the Digimon-effect restrictions along
- "Both at once" cuts both ways: an upside in Q6011 (dodging a restriction), a downside in Q6012 (caught by a defense)
Why: the both-at-once effect also counts as a Digimon effect, so "isn't affected by Digimon effects" wards it off.
- As a pure Tamer effect it would have slipped through — but the added Digimon treatment brings the Digimon-effect restrictions along
- "Both at once" cuts both ways: an upside in Q6011 (dodging a restriction), a downside in Q6012 (caught by a defense)
The checklist and rules sections
When in doubt:
1. Is the card a Digimon, a Tamer, or treated as both?
2. Classify the effect by its activating source (15-2-1-1 / 15-2-1-2)
3. If both treatments apply, the activated effect counts as both (15-12-1-6)
4. Cross-check against restrictions ("can't ... except by X effects" / "isn't affected by X effects")
- With both treatments, BOTH kinds of restrictions apply simultaneously
Sections:
- 15-2-1-1 (Digimon effects) / 15-2-1-2 (Tamer effects)
- 15-12-1-1 to 15-12-1-6 (information-adding effects)
- 15-15-5 (cards that aren't affected by effects — see the companion column)
1. Is the card a Digimon, a Tamer, or treated as both?
2. Classify the effect by its activating source (15-2-1-1 / 15-2-1-2)
3. If both treatments apply, the activated effect counts as both (15-12-1-6)
4. Cross-check against restrictions ("can't ... except by X effects" / "isn't affected by X effects")
- With both treatments, BOTH kinds of restrictions apply simultaneously
Sections:
- 15-2-1-1 (Digimon effects) / 15-2-1-2 (Tamer effects)
- 15-12-1-1 to 15-12-1-6 (information-adding effects)
- 15-15-5 (cards that aren't affected by effects — see the companion column)
Key point A Tamer treated "also as a Digimon" by an information-adding effect activates effects that count as Digimon effects AND Tamer effects at once (15-12-1-6). That's a blessing (slips past Tamer-only restrictions) and a curse (blocked by anti-Digimon-effect defenses) in the same package.