VIBES TCG - Quick Start Guide

Everything you need to jump into the beta and start playing!

Getting Started

Step 1: Create Your Account

Head to https://www.vibes.game/ and create your account.

Step 2: Download the Game

You can download Vibes from either of these locations:

Direct Client - Download directly from the website or visit https://www.vibes.game/

Epic Games Store – Search for “Vibes TCG” or visit https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/vibes-894dba

Step 3: Sign In & Play

Launch the game, sign in with your account, and you’re ready to go. All cards are currently unlocked in your collection during our Full Set Frenzy!

💡 Tip: Viewing All Cards

To browse and use cards you don’t own in the deckbuilder, go to Filter > Check “Show Unowned.” This lets you craft decks and experiment with every card in the game.

Navigating the Client

Here’s a quick overview of the main areas you’ll find in the Vibes online client:

Game Basics

How You Win

In order to win the game: at the start of your turn, you need 15 cards in play and The Baron on your side. The Baron will host a Vibe Check at the end of each Cycle, comparing the highest Vibing Penguin in each huddle to determine a winner and award prizes. When a player wins Vibe Check, The Baron stays on their side for the following Cycle and that player receives an automatic, free rod from the top of their deck. The player who loses Vibe Check will receive an extra card draw.

You can also lose if you try to draw a card with an empty deck, so keep an eye on your card count!

Setup

Both players bring a 52-card deck and determine who goes first (coin flip, dice roll, etc.). The first player controls the Baron. Players shuffle, then draw 5 cards. Each player may mulligan by putting 0–5 cards on the bottom of their deck and drawing that many replacements. Then the first Cycle begins starting with the player who controls the Baron.

The Cycle

Each round of Vibes is called a Cycle. A Cycle has five phases in order:

Turn (Baron Player) – Draw a card, then play Penguins, Relics, and up to one Rod from your hand.

Turn (Other Player) – Same as above.

Action Time – Both players take turns playing Action cards and activating ACT abilities. The player with the Baron has priority. Cards go on the Stack and resolve in reverse order (last in, first out). Action Time ends when both players pass with nothing on the Stack.

Vibe Check – The Baron compares each player’s Penguins and determines a winner. Prizes are then awarded to both players depending on if they win or lose the Vibe Check.

• Win = get a free rod from the top of your deck to your rod zone

• Lose = draw a card from the top of your deck

Unfloppening – All cards in play unflop (untap), and the next Cycle begins.

Card Types

There are four card types in Vibes:

Penguins – Your main characters. Penguins have a Vibe stat (bottom-right corner) and many have ACT abilities you can activate during Action Time. Penguins are played to your Huddle zone.

Rods – Cards that go to your Rod Zone. You can only play one Rod per turn. Any card in your hand can also be played face-down as a Basic Rod for resource production.

Relics – Cards with ongoing effects that go to your Huddle when played.

Actions – One-time effects played during Action Time. Actions go on the Stack, resolve, and then go to your Ice (discard pile).

Resources & Paying Costs

Vibes has six resources: Red, Blue, Green, Purple, and Yellow Pudge, plus Fish. To pay for an Action card, you flop (turn sideways) cards you control to produce the Pudge resources shown in their bottom-left corner. A card’s Fish cost is shown in the upper-left corner.

Key Zones

Huddle – Where your Penguins and Relics when they are played.

Rod Zone – Where your Rod cards go.

Ice – Your discard pile. Cards go here when they’re removed from play. Face-up, visible to both players.

Stack – Shared zone where Actions and ACT abilities wait to resolve during Action Time. Resolves in last-in, first-out order.

See below for an illustrated rules guide. You can download these at https://www.vibes.game/tutorial

Beginner Tips

Play face-down Rods early. Any card from your hand can become a Basic Rod that produce 1 Fish. This is how you ramp up your resources in the early game.

Vibe Check wins games. You need 15 cards in play and the Baron on your side to fulfill the win conditions. Pay attention to your Penguins’ Vibe values. If a Penguin drops to 0 or less Vibe, it gets iced.

Use Action Time wisely. Actions and ACT abilities go on the Stack, and your opponent can respond. Think about the order you play things – last in resolves first!

Watch your deck count. You lose if you try to draw from an empty deck. Don’t draw too aggressively without a plan.

No maximum hand size. Hold as many cards as you want – there’s no discard at end of turn.

Building Your First Deck

Ready to build? Here’s how to put together your first deck in the deckbuilder:

Navigate to Collection from the main menu.

Click New Deck and give it a name.

Add cards by clicking the card icon.

Use the Filter options to search by type, cost, or keyword.

Save your deck and hit Play to try it out!

📋 Deck Rules

Your deck must contain exactly 52 cards, with no more than 4 copies of any card with the same name.

Deck Suggestions

Not sure where to start? Once you complete the tutorial, you’ll receive a randomized starter deck for free. You can also try one of these community archetypes — just copy the import code and paste it into the deckbuilder to build the deck instantly:

Yellow Aggro

An aggressive deck built around the Yum Yum + Penguin That Doesn't Mind Goodbyes combo. It runs a low curve of cheap penguins with card draw from Check the Yellow Pages and Extrovert Penguin. The goal is to build a massive Extrovert to win games, or use Yum Yum to bring Extrovert back with Lucky Penguin for card advantage.

Import Code:

{"deckName":"Yellow Aggro","counts":

{"ChecktheYellowPages":4,"DaydreamingPenguin":4,"ExtrovertPenguin":4,"FlyingPenguin":4,"LuckyPenguin":4,"

PenguinThatDoesntMindGoodbyes":4,"PenguinWhoZooms":4,"PenguinWhosLatetotheParty":4,"PoppinPete":4,

"PotStirringPenguin":4,"YumYum":4,"NotYourKeys":3,"MysteriousPenguin":2,"PenguinoftheFallingLeaves":2,"PutYourFlippersintheAir":1}}

Caffeine Colosseum

A Green-focused deck built around the Green Mega Penguin + Too Much Caffeine package, which makes Green Mega Penguin untargetable while flopping your opponent's big penguins. It aims for a fast start with one-drops, Lil With Balloons, and Milkmaid. Lil Extrovert boosts Green Mega Penguin with additional counters, and Inspiring Story pumps it further. The endgame is winning early vibe checks, then slamming Colosseum at nine rods to lock your opponent out.

Import Code:

{"deckName":"Caffeine Colosseum","counts":

{"Colosseum":3,"WhataTwist":3,"LilZoomer":3,"InspiringStory":4,"PopcornPenguin":4,"GreenMegaPenguin":4,

"LilExtrovert":3,"LilMilkmaid":3,"BashfulSwordsmanPenguin":3,"SneakyPenguin":3,"TinaWhoTears":2,

"LilWithBalloon":4,"TooMuchCaffeine":4,"FlyingPenguin":4,"LilFrosty":1,"BounceHouseRod":3,"LilLookout":1}}

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to buy digital cards?

Nope! All cards are currently unlocked. No paywalls, no grinding. Just build and play.

What platforms is Vibes available on?

You can download Vibes from vibes.game or the Epic Games Store. Currently available on Windows and Mac.

I’m having trouble logging in. What do I do?

Reach out to us on Discord or email support with any questions or issues logging in.

How do I report a bug?

Join our Discord at https://discord.gg/vibes-tcg and open a support ticket. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

Get Help & Join the Community

Have questions, feedback, or just want to hang out with other players? Here’s where to find us:

See you in the game!

— The Vibes Team