A. Deck Construction
Rules
A Deck must contain at least 40 cards. Keep in mind that Decks with too many
cards mean you will have a smaller chance of drawing the cards you need, so its
best to limit your cards to around 40.
You can have up to 3
duplicates of the same card in your Deck. Cards included in your Side Deck count
towards this 3 duplicate limit. Also, be aware of Forbidden
and Limited Cards.
B. Deck Construction Hints
I. Keep the Monster Card to Magic/Trap Card ratio at 1 : 1
The building blocks of your Deck are the Monster Cards. No matter how many powerful Magic or Trap Cards you have, no monsters on the field means you've got nothing to defend your Life Points. A general rule of thumb is that roughly half of your Deck should be made up of monsters. Therefore, if you have got a Deck of 40 cards, around 20 should be Monster Cards.
II. Keep The Number of High Level Monsters To A Minimum
In order to perform a Tribute Summon (required for a Level 5 or higher
monster), you will have to offer monsters as a Tribute. If your Deck is filled
with high-level monsters, summoning them to the field will be very costly.
Instead, include lots of Level 4 or lower monsters in your Deck and keep the
number of high-level monsters to a minimum.
III. Make Good Use Of Your Effect Monsters
Effect Monsters with Magic or Trap effects play an important strategic role in
your Duels. You can create a powerful Deck if you take full advantage of these
effects. For example, the "Hane-Hane" card forces your opponent to return one
monster from the field to their hand. Using this card at the right moment
could leave your opponent's Life Points wide open for an attack from a
high-level monster.
IV. Include Cards That Increase Opportunities To Draw
In a Duel, the basic rule is that you can only draw 1 card during the Draw
Phase. Therefore, it is strategically to your advantage to be able to draw
more cards than your opponent. For example, cards like "Pot Of Greed" increase
your chances of drawing vital cards from your deck.
V. How To Create Your Side Deck
In between Duels, you are allowed to use a Side Deck of 15 cards to adjust the
contents of your Deck. Prepare your Side Deck with cards that help address the
weaknesses in your Deck or have the power to neutralize specific cards.
The following cards will help strengthen anyone's Deck:
• Raigeki •
Monster Reborn • Dark Hole • Pot of Greed • Change of Heart
C. Forbidden And
Limited Cards
According to the Official Rules, certain cards have specific quantity
restrictions that limit the number that can be included in a Deck. These
limited cards are announced at Official Tournaments, and should be taken
into account when customizing your Deck.If you would like to see the English Restricted List click HERE.To see the Japanese Restricted list, click HERE