When Do [On Play] / [When Digivolving] Effects Activate — and When Don't They?
Prohibitions, suppression, the breeding area, and optional conditions
Effects that grant "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" — like BT24-040 Venusmon — keep growing. The rule looks simple, but the verdict splits in many scenes: what if [When Attacking] is written alongside? Do effect-activating effects push through? Is the [Once Per Turn] consumed? Sorted out via Comprehensive Rules 15-1-3, 15-7-3, and 15-14-1.
Base rule: prohibiting beats enabling
Comprehensive Rules 15-1-3:
"A prohibiting effect takes precedence over an enabling effect."
With "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" granted, the Digimon's [When Digivolving] effects stop triggering.
- Even a separate "activate its [When Digivolving] effect" effect is nullified (Q5624)
- The digivolution itself still proceeds normally (only the activation is stopped)
"A prohibiting effect takes precedence over an enabling effect."
With "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" granted, the Digimon's [When Digivolving] effects stop triggering.
- Even a separate "activate its [When Digivolving] effect" effect is nullified (Q5624)
- The digivolution itself still proceeds normally (only the activation is stopped)
Example 1: [When Digivolving] [When Attacking] on one line still fires on attack (BT24-040 Q5623)
A card granted "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" by BT24-040 Venusmon can still activate the effect **when attacking**, provided the effect carries both [When Digivolving] and [When Attacking] (Q5623).
- The grant only stops what triggers at the digivolution timing
- If the same text also triggers on [When Attacking], the attack timing is a separate thing and processes as usual
- Section: 15-16-5 ([When Attacking] independence)
- The grant only stops what triggers at the digivolution timing
- If the same text also triggers on [When Attacking], the attack timing is a separate thing and processes as usual
- Section: 15-16-5 ([When Attacking] independence)
Example 2: You can't execute just the "by doing X" part (BT24-040 Q5625)
With "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" granted, you can't process only the optional condition ("by doing X" — a cost or optional action) of the suppressed [When Digivolving] effect (Q5625).
- 15-7-3: It isn't possible to perform only some of the optional processing conditions
- 15-1-4: When one effect has multiple processes, the effect resolves only after all of them
- So "pay the cost but skip the effect" or "execute half the condition" isn't a thing
- 15-7-3: It isn't possible to perform only some of the optional processing conditions
- 15-1-4: When one effect has multiple processes, the effect resolves only after all of them
- So "pay the cost but skip the effect" or "execute half the condition" isn't a thing
Example 3: An effect that couldn't activate doesn't consume [Once Per Turn] (BT24-040 Q5626)
A card with [When Digivolving] [When Attacking] [Once Per Turn], under "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate," digivolves — nothing activates at that timing. The [Once Per Turn] is **not consumed** (Q5626).
- 15-14-1-4: an [X Per Turn] use is counted when the player CHOOSES to activate. No choice was ever made here
- So when the attack timing comes later, the [Once Per Turn] is still available
- Keep "doesn't activate" and "couldn't be chosen" distinct
- 15-14-1-4: an [X Per Turn] use is counted when the player CHOOSES to activate. No choice was ever made here
- So when the attack timing comes later, the [Once Per Turn] is still available
- Keep "doesn't activate" and "couldn't be chosen" distinct
Example 4: "Can't play Digimon by effects" reaches the breeding area too (BT20-020 Q6245)
When BT20-020 Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode's [When Digivolving] effect grants "your opponent can't play Digimon or Tamers by effects," the opponent can't play by effects **even into their own breeding area** (Q6245).
- The breeding area is one of the areas (3-4-4)
- The prohibition on "playing by effects" isn't area-limited; it bans the act of playing across the board
- Note: it prohibits playing BY EFFECTS — normal hatching in the breeding area (the 1-cost action) is untouched
- The breeding area is one of the areas (3-4-4)
- The prohibition on "playing by effects" isn't area-limited; it bans the act of playing across the board
- Note: it prohibits playing BY EFFECTS — normal hatching in the breeding area (the 1-cost action) is untouched
Example 5: Whose effect is playing the Digimon? (EX11-012 Q5801)
EX11-012 Medusamon's [When Digivolving] [End of Attack] effect that plays Petrify tokens is **your own playing effect** — you are playing tokens into the opponent's side.
- Effects like BT8-097 Crimson Blaze's "your opponent can't play Digimon by effects" stop only **the opponent's own acts of playing**
- Your effect playing tokens on their side is not blocked (Q5801)
- Separate "who is doing the playing" from "where the card lands"
- Effects like BT8-097 Crimson Blaze's "your opponent can't play Digimon by effects" stop only **the opponent's own acts of playing**
- Your effect playing tokens on their side is not blocked (Q5801)
- Separate "who is doing the playing" from "where the card lands"
Example 6: Firing the Option side dodges "Digimon effect" restrictions (BT25-104 Q6498)
When BT25-104 ShineGreymon: Burst Mode's [When Digivolving] [When Attacking] effect activates an Option side's [Main] effect, that effect is an Option card effect (15-2-1-3).
- "Isn't affected by Digimon effects" opponents still take the DP reduction and the rest (Q6498)
- More in the companion column "Dual Cards: Digimon Effect or Option Effect?"
- "Isn't affected by Digimon effects" opponents still take the DP reduction and the rest (Q6498)
- More in the companion column "Dual Cards: Digimon Effect or Option Effect?"
Bonus: link effects reach the breeding area (BT25-101 Q6480)
A related point: BT25-101 Arms of God: Version Ω's "link to 1 of your Digimon in an area without paying the cost" CAN link to a DP-less Digimon in the breeding area (Q6480).
- The link DP doesn't grant DP to a Digimon without DP (2-5-3: DP can't be added to a card that has none)
- The breeding area can't be chosen by effects that don't specify or reference it (3-4-5-5), but this effect says "in an area," which includes the breeding area
Sections: 15-1-3 (prohibition precedence) / 15-7-3 (no partial optional conditions) / 15-14-1-4 ([X Per Turn] consumption) / 15-16-5 ([When Attacking]) / 3-4-4, 3-4-5-5 (area classification) / 15-2-1-1, 15-2-1-3 (effect source) / 2-5-3 (no DP without DP)
- The link DP doesn't grant DP to a Digimon without DP (2-5-3: DP can't be added to a card that has none)
- The breeding area can't be chosen by effects that don't specify or reference it (3-4-5-5), but this effect says "in an area," which includes the breeding area
Sections: 15-1-3 (prohibition precedence) / 15-7-3 (no partial optional conditions) / 15-14-1-4 ([X Per Turn] consumption) / 15-16-5 ([When Attacking]) / 3-4-4, 3-4-5-5 (area classification) / 15-2-1-1, 15-2-1-3 (effect source) / 2-5-3 (no DP without DP)
Key point "[When Digivolving] effects don't activate" is strong, but it has four escape hatches: 1) a co-written [When Attacking] still fires on attack, 2) executing half of a "by doing X" is impossible, 3) the [Once Per Turn] isn't consumed, 4) firing the Option side dodges Digimon-effect restrictions. Dissect the text before you play.