Deck-Building Blocks: Beyond the Basics

Now that you’ve seen the best of all three basic card-types, it’s time for some more advanced strategies. This week, see for yourself how Ritual, Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monsters can add power and depth to your strategies like never before.

Calm Amidst Confusion
Fusion Monsters, along with Synchro and Xyz Monsters, stay in the Extra Deck before you Summon them. To Fusion Summon, activate a Fusion Spell (e.g. Polymerization) and send its specified Material Monsters from your Hand or Field to the Graveyard. Talk about a short fuse!

Try These:
Elemental and Evil Heroes: Powerful, versatile and by far the most user-friendly Fusion family.
Five-Headed Dragon: Has 5000 ATK and DEF and can only be destroyed by LIGHT monsters. Fuse from any five Dragon-Types.

Support:
Future Fusion and Beastking of the Swamp

Know Your Rites
To perform a Ritual Summon, you’ll need both the desired Ritual Monster and its unique Ritual Spell card. First, activate the Spell, then Tribute monsters from the field or your hand until their total Levels equal the Ritual Monster’s. Drawing both the Ritual Monster and Ritual Spell is harder than it sounds, so bring backup!

Try These:
Shinato, King of a Higher Plane: High ATK Ritual monster that deals damage equal to the ATK of the monsters it destroys.
Evigishki Mind Augus: When Summoned, return any five cards in either Graveyard to their owner(s) Deck(s).

Support:
Advanced Ritual Art and Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands

Let It Synch In
Synchro Summoning is also all about Levels. To Synchro Summon, tribute a Tuner and face-up Non-Tuner Monsters whose combined Levels equal the desired Synchro Monster’s. Beware though—some Synchros demand specific monsters!

Try These:
Stardust Dragon: Tribute this card to negate a destructive card-effect.
Ally of Justice Catastor: This card automatically destroys any non-DARK monster.

Support:
Plaguespreader Zombie and Battle Waltz

Xyz My French, but…
To Xyx  Summon, you’ll need a specified number of face-up monsters whose Levels equal the desired Xyz Monster’s Rank. Stack these underneath the Xyz monster. When an Effect compels you to detach one afterwards, discard it to the Graveyard.

Try These:
Number 96: Dark Mist: Detach one monster to halve an enemy monster’s ATK. Afterward, increase Dark Mist’s ATK by the same amount.
Thunder End Dragon: Detach one monster to destroy all other Monsters on the Field.

Support:
XYZ Reborn and XYZ Territory

For more information about the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, visit Konami's official site today!

Related Links:
Cards
Deck-Building Blocks
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Official Site

by Chris Turner

About Chris Turner
A casual duelist and former Viz Media intern, Chris has ascended the ranks and now writes for us as a freelancer.