Can someone explain how heartless work as friends. In particular in regards to uniqueness. On the dark/player card it states that you can have more than one copy of the same card out but i have seen rulings here that says you can only have one out at a time.

the dark/friend thing is kind of tricky. you can only play one per friend normally-one goofy out at a time one donald out at a time etc. dark cards are different though. i can play 3 bouncywilds and have them out at one time. they take up thier own friend slot but dark cards you can play more than one of. i e 3 barrel spiders, 3 parasite cages, 3 sea neons. i know the dark friend rule contradicts the other rule but its just how it works. hope this answers your question. if not just post again and someone will respond

The rules are merely a simple way of bein able to play the game. The card text 'n abilities are what make the game, and can override the rules. Where you are readin 'only one friend of a name out at a time' in the rules, the dark player states 'hey, the rules say this, but this ability allows you to surpass that rule 'n play as many dark cards of any name'.

So, to simply put: the wordin on Dark Riku 'n Ansem allow you to play more than one of a dark/heartless card as a friend at a time, ignorin the rulebook's limitations 'n restrictions.

What about Villains as friends?

Since the wordin of both Ansem 'n Dark Riku state that you can play your 'dark cards' as friends, then the Dark/Villians are under the same applied rulins.

Meanin Ansem 'n Dark Riku don't just affect the heartless, but any card classified as 'dark'.

Course, if the Nobodies, by some random chance, are also classified as 'dark', then I'm certain people will be runnin a whole new, wilder concept for Dark Decks. But I doubt the Nobodies are 'dark' cards.

Don't quote me on it, though. I have my speculations 'n guesses.