If a Digimon with Retaliation is deleted in battle, it takes the opposing Digimon down with it. Attacking into it is a losing trade, so your opponent has to find effect removal or eat the loss. Cheap bodies with Retaliation make great speed bumps because clearing them always costs something real.
As printed on cards
Retaliation (When only this Digimon is deleted in battle, delete the Digimon it battled.)
16-13-1. <Retaliation> is a keyword effect where a battled opponent's Digimon is deleted when a Digimon with this effect is deleted in battle. 16-13-2. <Retaliation> is a trigger-type effect that triggers when just the Digimon with this effect is deleted in battle. (For details, refer to 15-8-3 "Trigger-Type Effects") 16-13-3. The processing from <Retaliation> is mandatory.
Comprehensive Rules §16-13 — official rules page
From Bandai's card rulings. Each links to the card it was asked about.
The memory is at 0, I use this Digimon with ST7-05 [Growlmon] in its digivolution cards to attack, and it deleted an opponent's Digimon with ＜Retaliation＞ in battle. Is this Digimon deleted by the ＜Retaliation＞ effect at such times?
Yes, it's deleted. When your opponent's Digimon is deleted in battle, it causes ST7-05 [Growlmon]'s inherited effect and ＜Retaliation＞ on the opponent's Digimon to trigger simultaneously. The turn player's effect activates first, the memory becomes 1, and this Digimon's ＜Your Turn＞ effect can no longer activate, therefore it's deleted by ＜Retaliation＞.
Ruled Sep 6, 2024 · asked about Gallantmon (BT17-016)
When my level 5 or higher [Free] Digimon would be deleted in battle, I used this card's ＜All Turns＞ effect to play a level 4 or lower Digimon card with ＜Retaliation＞ in its inherited effects from that Digimon's digivolution cards. Can I use ＜Retaliation＞ to delete the battled opponent's Digimon at such times?
No, you can't. The card is removed from digivolution cards before ＜Retaliation＞ can activate.
Ruled Sep 6, 2024 · asked about Davis Motomiya & Ken Ichijoji (BT17-084)
Does this card’s inherited effect activate when the Digimon with this card in its digivolution cards is deleted by ＜Retaliation＞ on a battled opponent's Digimon?
Yes. It activates because the Digimon is deleted by the ＜Retaliation＞ effect, not by battle.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about Peckmon (BT13-082)
Does this card’s inherited effect activate when the Digimon with this card in its digivolution cards is deleted by ＜Retaliation＞ on a battled opponent's Digimon?
Yes. It activates because the Digimon is deleted by the ＜Retaliation＞ effect, not by battle.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about Crowmon (BT13-085)
Does this card's ＜All Turns＞ delete this Digimon when my opponent's Digimon activates ＜Retaliation＞ after battling this Digimon?
Yes, it's deleted. ＜Retaliation＞ is deletion by an effect, not by battle.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about ShogunGekomon (BT14-028)
I have 9 cards in my trash and a Digimon with this card as a digivolution card is deleted in battle. The deleted cards, including this one, are sent to my trash, and now I have over 10 cards in my trash. Does this card's ＜Retaliation＞ activate?
No. You lose this card's inherited effect when it is placed in the trash, so it can't activate.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about Xiaomon (BT4-006)
I have 10 or more cards in my trash and a Digimon with this card as a digivolution card is deleted in battle. Before this card's effect has a chance to activate, another effect activates and reduces the number of cards in my trash to 9 or less. Does this card's ＜Retaliation＞ activate?
Yes, if you had 10 or more cards when it was deleted, you can activate ＜Retaliation＞.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about Xiaomon (BT4-006)
I use this card to grant my Digimon this card's effect. I then use one of my Digimon to attack an opponent's Digimon with no digivolution cards. Does my opponent's Digimon get deleted in battle?
No, it's deleted by this card's effect, not by battle. As such, effects that read, "deletes an opponent's Digimon and survives," and effects like ＜Retaliation＞ don't activate.
Ruled Mar 28, 2024 · asked about I'll Drag You Into the Depths! (BT4-101)
98 cards carry this keyword; the first 30:
Rule text © Bandai, quoted from the official Comprehensive Rules for reference. Combalo is not affiliated with Bandai.
