Welcome to the world of Duel Monsters. Konami has finally released a card game that is true to the actual Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game: The Eternal Duelist Soul. This FAQ is designed to help you get an idea of what strategies can be used when building a card deck, as well as give you an insight to some of the up and coming battles that you will be facing in this game. So get ready. It’s time to duel.
BUTTON FUNCTIONS
L Button – In the Deck Edit Screen, allows you to scroll between the Trunk, Main Deck, and Side Deck screens.
R Button – In the Deck Edit Screen, allows you to scroll between the Trunk, Main Deck, and Side Deck screens. Allows you to draw a card during the Draw phase in battle.
Control Pad – Used to move the cursor to call commands or menus
B Button – Used to cancel commands, return to the previous screen, or to proceed to the next phase in battle.
A Button – Used to confirm commands and to scroll through text.
Select and Start Button not used.
MAIN MENU OPTIONS
Campaign – This is where you go to duel with other trainers. You will start off with the ability to only battle 5 trainers. Once you meet certain conditions, you will have access to other trainers.
Link Battle – This is where you can battle with a friend who has another GBA and game pack.
Deck Edit – Go here to choose which cards you wish to use. There are three “decks”.
- Trunk – The trunk stores all the cards that are not used in your Main and Side Decks.
- Main Deck – This is the “heart” of your cards. (Just had to say that!) You must have 40 standard cards in your deck in order to enter the Campaign mode. Standard cards involve Monster cards, Magic cards, Trap cards, and Ritual cards. You can also store up to 20 Fusion cards, which will not be considered as part of your 40 cards in your deck. The Fusion cards are activated only when you perform a fusion through Polymerization.
- Side Deck – This deck is only useful when you play in a tournament style duel. In between duels in a tournament, you can switch cards between your Main Deck and Side Deck. The Side Deck can only hold 15 cards.
Record – This will list your current record of Wins/Losses/Draws for each Duelist you have played in the game. This record is also shown when you highlight a Duelist in the Campaign mode.
Calendar – A day will pass in the game after every duel. The Calendar will list days when you will get a Yu-Gi-Oh! magazine (which contains 5 cards), or when special tournaments are held. Magazines are acquired at the end of the day (after a duel). Tournaments replace standard duels in Campaign mode.
Card Trading – Trade with your friends. Just connect two GBAs each with a game pack, and trade away.
Password – Those familiar with the actual Card Game might know that some of the cards contain an eight digit number on the lower left corner of the card. This number can be inputted into the Password screen to get a copy of that card in the game.
These codes (if they are available) are listed in the Trading Card Game Information section of this site. [The game will only allow you to use each password once unless you erase all data and start over.]
DECK EDIT SCREEN
Commands
Card View – Get a detailed description of the card highlighted.
To Trunk – Move the highlighted card to the Trunk.
To Main Deck – Move the highlighted card to the Main Deck. [Note: that you can move more than 40 cards (not including the Fusion Deck) to the main deck. However, you will not be permitted to duel until you remove all but 40 standard cards.]
To Side Deck – Move the highlighted card to the Side Deck.
List Filter – Allows you to sort cards to look by Card Type.
Statistics – Lists the percentage of Card Types in your Decks or Trunk.
Exit – Return to the Main Menu.
Card Types
There are a total of 6 card types, 20 monster types, 6 monster attributes, and 6 magic/trap effects in this game.
Normal Monsters (Border color: Yellow) – These are just Duel Monsters that have no special abilities. Each monster card is listed with an attack power, a defense power, and a level (represented by the number of stars) that ranges from 1-8. Each monster also contains an attribute and type.
Fusion Monsters (Border color: Purple) – These cards are only placed in a duel by performing a fusion through Polymerization. The fusion process is explained later in the FAQ.
Ritual Monsters (Border color: Blue) – These cards require a ritual card to summon a Monster. The ritual process is explained later in the FAQ.
Effect Monsters (Border color: Orange) – These monsters have a special effect that can be activated by meeting the proper conditions listed on the card.
Magic Cards (Border color: Green) – These cards can be used during your turn to cause the ability listed on that card. Later in this section, I’ll get into more detail about the type of Magic/Trap cards that are available.
Trap Cards (Border color: Pink) – Trap cards are only activated when a monster is summoned, destroyed, or plans an attack. The type of card will determine when you can activate them.
Monster Types
Dragon, Beast/Warrior, Fairy, Fish, Aqua, Spellcaster, Beast, Insect, Sea Serpent, Pyro, Zombie, Winged Beast, Dinosaur, Machine, Rock, Warrior, Fiend, Reptile, Thunder, Plant
Monster Attributes
Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Light, Dark [As far as I know, some Monster Attributes/Types have advantages over others but I still haven’t learned which ones are there. Unlike the GBC version of the game, this advantage is only used when an attack is reflected or when a draw is present (same attack/defense power).]
Magic/Trap Effects
Equip – A magic card can be equipped to a monster to alter their attack and/or defense.
Quick-Play – A quick-play magic card can be activated during any time in your turn, or when a monster is summoned, sent to the graveyard, commands an attack, or is set on the opponent’s turn.
Continuous – These cards will remain on the field until it’s destroyed.
Ritual – These are the cards that describe the ritual process.
Field – These cards change the field to alter the attack/defense power of the card types listed on the card.
Counter – A counter trap card can be use to stop the activation of a magic card, trap card, or effect card.
DUELING
Description of Field
The playing field during a duel consists of several sections.
- Deck Zone – All your cards from your deck are here for you to draw.
- Hand – The cards on the bottom of your screen are your hand. You can play these cards and place them on the field during your turn.
- Field Card Zone – This represents the top 5 blocks on the screen. You can play up to five monsters in this zone. You cannot discard any of these cards once they are on the field, unless they are destroyed by your opponent, an effect, magic, or trap card, or by performing a tribute, fusion, or ritual.
- Magic & Trap Card Zone – Up to five magic or trap cards can be placed on the field for use immediately or during your opponent’s turn (depending on the type of card placed).
- Graveyard – Your cards, which are used or destroyed, are discarded here.
- Eliminated Card Zone – These cards are permanently removed from the duel and cannot be brought back. Cards that go here are cards used for a Fusion, Ritual, or placed by the Effects of a card.
- Field Card Zone – A field Magic card can be placed here to change the environment of the field.
- Fusion Deck Zone – This is where up to 20 Fusion Cards in your deck are placed.
- Information Zone – The Life Points of you and your opponents are located on the top of your screen (bottom of the opponent’s screen). The phases of the battle are also shown here.
Duel Commands
Card View – Get a detailed description of the card selected.
Set – Summon a Duel Monster from your hand to the face down Defense mode.
Summon – Summon a Duel Monster from your hand in Attack mode.
Activate – Activates the effects of Effect Monsters, Magic Cards, or Trap Cards.
Def Pos – Turns a Duel Monster on the field from Attack to Defense mode.
Atk Pos – Turns a Duel Monster on the field from Defense to Attack mode.
Flip Summon – Turns a Duel Monster on the field from the face down Defense mode to Attack mode.
Attack – Allows a Duel Monster to attack the opponent.
Draw – Draws a card from your deck (or just press the R button).
Surrender – Place the cursor on your deck during any phase (except Draw phase) to forfeit the game.
Duel Phases
The duel progress through six phases. In some case, you have to press the B button to proceed to the next phase (or to end your turn).
- Draw Phase (listed as D on Info Zone) – Draw one card from your deck by pressing the R button.
- Standby Phase (listed as S on Info Zone) – The effects of some cards may only be activated during this phase.
- Main Phase 1 (listed as M1 on Info Zone) – During this phase, you can place cards on the field from your hand. You can only summon one monster from your hand during your turn, with the exception of Special Summons (more on that in the next section).
- Battle Phase (listed as B on Info Zone) – Any monsters in Attack mode can issue the Attack command in this phase.
- Main Phase 2 (listed as M2 on Info Zone) – You can use this turn to place cards from your hand to the field, if you chose not to do so in Main Phase 1. A monster can be placed as long as long as no summoning occurred in Main Phase 1. However, any monster placed in Attack mode in this phase will not be able to attack until your next turn.
- End Phase (listed as E on Info Screen) – This ends your turn.
[If you have no monsters in Attack mode (or you can’t attack) after Main Phase 1, you will be prompted to end you turn. Also, you cannot attack during the very first turn in the duel.]
Summoning Monsters
It’s important to note how to summon (or set) monsters in the game. Any monster that is level of 4 or below can be summoned (or set) during either Main Phase. To summon a level 5 or 6 monster, you must tribute (or sacrifice) one your monsters on the field. To summon a level 7 or 8 monster, you must tribute 2 monsters on the field. The monsters that are used as tribute will be sent to the Graveyard.
A Special Summon is a summon that is done by a Fusion, Ritual, or using a Magic card like Monster Reborn. These cards do not count as a normal Summon, so you can still place a Duel Monster on the field from your hand. These cards are also NOT subject to certain trap cards.
Fusion
A Fusion allows two or more monsters to be combined to create a more powerful Duel Monster. In order for a fusion to take place, you must have the following.
- The cards required for the fusion. One of these cards must be on the field. The other card(s) can either be in your hand or on the field.
- A Polymerization card.
- The proper Fusion card in your Fusion Deck.
An example of this would be calling Gaia the Dragon Champion. First, you need Curse of Dragon, Gaia the Fierce Knight, and the Polymerization card in your deck, as well as Gaia the Dragon Champion card in the Fusion Deck. Place Curse of Dragon or Gaia the Fierce Knight on the field. The other one can be in your hand or on the field. Use Polymerization, select both cards, and “sacrifice” them to place Gaia the Dragon Champion card on the field.
Rituals
Just like a Fusion, a Ritual requires the following.
- A Magic Ritual Card.
- A Ritual Monster in your hand.
- Sacrificing a certain number of cards to meet the level requirements of the ritual. Some ritual cards require specific cards (or a specific number of cards) in order for the ritual to work.
Magic/Trap Chains
When a Magic or Trap card is activated, a Counter Trap card can be used to destroy or prevent activating that magic. These cards must be on the field for their effects to be activated. A chain occurs when one duelist counters the actions of a Magic or Trap card. A Magic or Trap card can be countered 3 times, as long as the proper cards are present in the field.
BUILDING A GOOD DECK
I have the firm belief that there is no such thing as the PERFECT deck. No matter how good your cards are, all it comes down to is luck. It’s a matter of drawing the right cards at the right time. However, I do believe that there are good cards and bad cards. This section will give you a good idea on the types of cards that you should have in your deck. I won’t go into actual cards, since it would be best for each person to get a “feel” for each card (and learn how to use each of them). Check the TCG CARD INFORMATION section to learn about each card.
You are allowed only 40 cards in your deck (plus up to 20 Fusion cards placed in the Fusion deck). In my opinion, your deck should consist of the following:
Normal/Effect Monsters 20-25
Levels 1-4 12-16
Levels 5-6 4-6
Levels 7-8 0-2
Magic/Trap Cards 15-20
Let me break this down. You want a good variety of cards that allow you to be in a good position when you start the game. First, you need some powerful Level 1-4 cards that can be summoned immediately. You want to have monsters with either a high Attack (like Axe Raider) or Defense (like Giant Solider of Stone). This will ensure that you have at least one card that can be used as a tribute to summon a Level 5 or 6 card (or a Level 7 or 8 card if you have 2 monsters available as tribute). Your Level 5-6 cards should have a good Attack power (possible one of them with just very high Defense). After all, you are sacrificing good cards for them. Try not to have more than 2 Level 7-8 monsters. They are a pain to summon. You can replace these cards with Ritual cards, if you like. Your Magic cards and Trap cards should be used to gain the advantage. Use strong, powerful Magic cards. Try to avoid using Magic cards that deal with just one monster type or attribute (unless your deck revolves around them).
Just remember to use every card to your advantage, and you should be able to hold your own against the toughest of Duelists. You should also learn to modify your deck based on the Duelist you are dueling. Experiment with different decks and place Magic, Trap, and Level 5-8 cards in your side deck to switch between them when you in a tournament situation. Check the next section for some insight on the duelist that you will be facing in the game.
I want you to realize that this is my opinion, you do not have to follow this perfectly. Feel free to “mix it up” and choose whichever cards you feel like using. As I said earlier, this deck will change as you advance and face more cunning duelists. Just take your time, learn from your mistakes, and try again.
CAMPAIGN DUELISTS
[Not Complete]
The game begins with one of the Duelists, Tea, asking you to choose a starter deck. You have a choice of picking a blue deck, red deck, or green deck. These decks contain 40 cards, which contain the following types of cards:
Normal Monsters 25
Levels 1-4 22
Levels 5-6 3
Effect Monsters 1
Levels 1-4 1
Fusion Monsters 0
Magic Cards 9
Trap Cards 5
Ritual Cards 0
For the most part, these cards are random. However, I have noticed that there are 11 cards that are always included, regardless of the pack you choose.
Card Type Black Pendant Magic Change of Heart Magic Magic Jammer Trap Monster Reborn Magic Mystical Elf Normal Mystical Space Typhoon Magic Pot of Greed Normal Seven Tools of the Bandit Trap Summoned Skull Normal Swords of Revealing Light Magic Trap Hole Trap
Your first round of dueling will involve facing 5 Duelists. You can choose to battle these Duelists as many times as you want. You earn a booster pack of cards that contain 5 cards every time you win a Duel. There are 3 booster packs to choose from when you start the game. These are the Duelists:
Tristan Taylor Bakura Ryou Tea Gardner Joey Wheeler Yugi Moto
You can duel any of these Duelists in any order. You will be given a chance to duel other Duelists when you defeat these 5 Duelists 2 times each. You will also be given a chance to select other booster packs when you either: defeat each Duelist twice in each “round”, and when you advance to the next “round”.
In this case, once you defeat Tristan, Tea, Yugi, Joey, and Bakura twice, you will get to choose from 5 booster decks (the 3 that were already there and the 2 new ones available). Plus, you will get a chance to face the second “round”.