Triple Triad

See also: Triple Triad Cards and Triple Triad NPCs

General Information

Triple Triad is a card battle mini-game originally from Final Fantasy VIII. It was released alongside Gold Saucer in patch 2.51. Players can collect Triple Triad Cards from various sources. Winning a Triple Triad match against a Triple Triad NPC will earn the player Manderville Gold Saucer Points and sometimes new cards.

Unlock

• Starting NPC: Triple Triad Master in The Gold Saucer (X:4, Y:7).
• Quest: Triple Triad Trial
• Prerequisite Quest: It Could Happen to You
• Level 15

The Battlehall

The Battlehall is an instanced area where players within the same data center can challenge each other to Triple Triad matches. It is accessible from any location via the Duty Finder.

Cards

After the initial launch of Triple Triad in patch 2.51, eighty cards were available. About half of those cards are obtainable by defeating Triple Triad NPCs. The other half are purchasable with Manderville Gold Saucer Points, rewarded from Triple Triad Tournaments, obtained randomly from card packs, and looted from dungeons, trials and other duties.

After obtaining a new card, you can permanently add it to your card list. If you gain a card that is already in your card list, you can sell the spare card for MGP by talking to the Triple Triad NPC in the Gold Saucer (X:4, Y:7). Note that you cannot trade cards with other players or sell them for gil.

Card Use Restrictions

Cards have five rarities: common (★), uncommon (★★), rare (★★★), epic (★★★★) and legendary (★★★★★).

Initially, you can only have one uncommon or higher card in your deck. Once you have collected 30-59 cards, you can have as many common or uncommon cards in your deck as you wish, but only one rare or higher card. When you have 60 or more cards in total, you can have as many rare or lower cards per deck as you like, but only one epic or legendary card.

Build a Deck

You can create five pre-made decks, with each deck containing five cards in total. You can build decks by going to the Gold Saucer Menu and selecting the Card Decks sub-menu.

Faction Cards

Certain cards have an icon on the upper right corner that represents a specific faction – "Primal", "Beastmen", "Scion", or "Garlean". These faction cards come into play during specific rules.

How to Play

Challenge NPCs

Players can discover multiple NPCs throughout Eorzea that can be challenged to Triple Triad matches. To challenge an NPC to a match, you must first pay a small MGP fee. If you are victorious, you are rewarded with MGP and also have a chance to win cards from them, though bear in mind that different NPCs reward different cards and that you cannot acquire a card from a 'draw' or 'loss', only victories.

List of Triple Triad NPCs

Challenge Players

Players can also challenge other players to Triple Triad and even select the special rules that will be used for the match. When playing in this manner, no MGP fee is incurred, though you still receive a small amount of MGP regardless of whether you win or lose the match.

• The first five matches of the day earn you additional MGP via a daily reward, resetting at 12 AM (JST) / 7 AM (PST) / 10 AM (EST) / 3 PM (GMT).

• Players can only challenge other players in specific areas, such as:

• The Manderville Gold Saucer
• Limsa Lominsa Upper Decks, Adventurer's Guild (X:11, Y:11)
• New Gridania, Adventurer’s Guild (X:11, Y:13)
• Ul'dah - Steps of Nald, Adventurer's Guild (X:11, Y:9)
• Eastern La Noscea, Costa de Sol (X:33, Y:31)
• South Shroud, Buscarron's Druthers (X:17, Y:19)
• Central Thanalan, The Coffer & Coffin (X:19, Y:20)
• Coerthas, The Observatorium (X:26, Y:28)
• Mor Dhona, Seventh Heaven (X:21, Y:8)

Rules

Basic Rules

Triple Triad is played on a three-by-three grid, totalling nine spaces, with each player utilizing a deck of 5 cards. Every card has a number on each side to represent the strength of that side. Once the match begins, a player is chosen at random to go first, then each player uses their turn to place a card on an empty space on the board.

During standard rules, if you place a card next to an opponent's card, and if the number facing the opponent's card is higher than their number, you take over the opponent's card. After all nine spaces on the board have been filled, the winner is the player who controls the most cards. Note that the unplayed 10th card is also counted.

Special Rules

Various rules alter the way the game is played.

For example, NPCs are affected by 'regional rules' which reset at 7 AM PST /10 AM EST every day, though there are certain NPCs that are immune to this. Regional rules are also applied when playing against other players. Also, each NPC has its own 'match rules'. When challenging another player, you can set your own match rules yourself. It's possible to have two match rules and two regional rules affect a PvP match at once.

All Open

While this rule is in play, all five cards in each deck are made visible to both players.

Three Open

While this rule is in play, three random cards in each deck are made visible to both players.

Same

A rule that alters how cards are captured. If the numbers of two or more cards are the same as the numbers on the adjacent sides of the card you place, you gain control of every matching card. For example, if your card has "3" on all sides and you place it between two cards that have a "3" facing your card, you capture both of those cards. Note that only one of the two or more matching cards needs to belong to your opponent for the 'Same' mechanic to take effect.

Sudden Death

When "Sudden Death" is in effect, any match that ends in a draw will be restarted from turn one rather than end the match. Your deck for this new match will consist of the cards you had control over at the end of the previous game. Sudden Death will continue until one player wins or until five more consecutive draws take place, at which point the game will end in a tie.

Plus

A rule that alters how cards are captured. If the numbers of two or more cards have the same total when added to the numbers on the adjacent sides of the card you place, you gain control of every matching card. For example, if the card you place has "3" on top and "2" on the left, and your opponent's cards to the top and left have "4" and "5" respectively, you capture those two cards. This is because 3 + 4 = 5 + 2. Similar to the 'Same' rule, 'Plus' will take effect whenever the placed card touches two other cards, regardless of who controls them. They do not have to be two opposing cards.

Random

While this rule is in play, your chosen deck will be replaced with five cards selected at random from your entire card list.

Order

While this rule is in play, you are required to play each card in the order that it appears in your deck.

Chaos

While this rule is in play, the only card you can play each turn is randomly selected from your deck.

Reverse

While this rule is in play, the conditions for capturing cards are inversed, making smaller numbers more powerful than larger numbers. For example, a "1" will capture a "6".

Fallen Ace

While this rule is in play, the all-powerful "A" becomes susceptible to capture by the lowly "1." If the 'Reverse' rule is also in play, a "1" will then become vulnerable to capture by an "A."

Ascension

During 'Ascension', if you place a faction card on the board – such as a "Primal" or "Scion" card – all cards of that faction will gain +1, including those held in your deck and your opponent's deck. Any card that increases to "11" or higher is treated as an "A" rank.

Descension

During 'Descension', if you place a faction card on the board – such as a "Garlean" or "Beastman" card – all cards of that faction decrease by 1, including those held in your deck and your opponent's deck. Any number that is decreased to "0" or less as a result of this rule will be treated as a "1".

Swap

While this rule is in play, one card from your deck is switched with one of your opponent's cards before the match begins. The cards to be swapped are chosen at random and are returned to their original owners at the end of the game.

Roulette

When the "Roulette" rule is in effect, the advanced rules for the match will be chosen at random.

Combo

A Combo is only available during 'Same' and 'Plus' rules. If you capture cards as a result of Same or Plus mechanics, and if those captured cards lie adjacent to "weaker" cards (i.e. cards with smaller numbers on the neighbouring sides), those cards will fall under your control as well.

Tournaments

Players can compete in tournaments against some of the best Triad Triple players to win whopping MGP rewards and some of the rarest cards in the game. However, Triple Triad tournaments only occur at specific dates and times.

Reward Tier

Places	Reward
1	Lightning Card, Cecil Harvey Card, Firion Card, or Tidus Card, and 140k MGP
2	Lightning Card, Cecil Harvey Card, Firion Card, or Tidus Card, and MGP based on rank
3	Lightning Card, Cecil Harvey Card, Firion Card, or Tidus Card, and MGP based on rank
4-10	1 Platinum Triad Card, and MGP based on rank
11-20	10k MGP
Others	1k MGP

Additional Information

Participating in Tournaments:

Players can sign up to participate in ongoing tournaments by speaking with the Tournament Recordkeeper at the Card Square in the Manderville Gold Saucer (X:4, Y:7). It should also be noted that, in addition to players, NPCs located within the Card Square can also participate in tournaments.

• Players must first complete a tutorial match with the Triple Triad Master before participating in any tournaments.

Tournament Rules:

Tournament participants can only play a set number of matches per tournament, with every match played counting toward their final scores. This score will increase for every match won, with more points being awarded for defeating higher-ranked opponents. Each tournament has a fixed set of special rules that tournament matches must follow. This does not apply to regional rules.

Tournament Rankings:

Players can view the standings for ongoing tournaments at any time by either speaking with the Tournament Recordkeeper at the Card Square in the Manderville Gold Saucer (X:4, Y:7) or examining the nearby Tournament Ranking Board. Scores will be locked the moment the tournament ends, and these numbers will determine the final rankings.

When two or more players share the same score at the end of a tournament, rank is then determined by the greatest number of wins. If wins are also equal, then the rank will be decided by the least number of matches played. Should match numbers also be equal, then the higher rank will go to the participant who first recorded a result on the tournament ranking board.