Dueling Basics - Monster Card Basics
Since monsters are a large aspect of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game, it is best to get a good understanding of the different aspects to a monster card.
There are four major aspects to a Monster card in Yu-Gi-Oh!, highlighted below on this card.
There are four major aspects to a Monster card in Yu-Gi-Oh!, highlighted below on this card.
Orange=Attribute. Each monster has an Attribute. While there isn't a direct advantage of one attribute over another, there are cards whose effects are based on this item (Ex. Honest, Genex Ally Birdman). The Attribute Symbol is find to the right of the monster's name.
Yellow=Level/Rank. Each monster in the game has a Level (except Xyz monsters who have ranks) and that level/rank can be found directly below the name of the monster (in the example above, the name of the card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon).
Green=Type. Like Attribute, every monster has a Type. Again, there are no direct advantages between Types but certain card effects involve Types (Ex. Last Day of the Witch, Horn of the Phantom Beast)
Blue=Attack(ATK) and Defense (DEF). This is where you can find the Monster's Attack(ATK) and Defense (DEF). This is also referred to at times as a monster's "original ATK" and "original DEF".
There are two major categories of monsters: Normal Monsters and Effect Monsters. Normal Monsters do not have effects, and in comparison to their Effect monster counter parts, normally have higher ATK and DEF.
The main physical different between Normal Monsters and Effect monsters is their card background color, as shown here between Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.
Yellow=Level/Rank. Each monster in the game has a Level (except Xyz monsters who have ranks) and that level/rank can be found directly below the name of the monster (in the example above, the name of the card is Blue-Eyes White Dragon).
Green=Type. Like Attribute, every monster has a Type. Again, there are no direct advantages between Types but certain card effects involve Types (Ex. Last Day of the Witch, Horn of the Phantom Beast)
Blue=Attack(ATK) and Defense (DEF). This is where you can find the Monster's Attack(ATK) and Defense (DEF). This is also referred to at times as a monster's "original ATK" and "original DEF".
There are two major categories of monsters: Normal Monsters and Effect Monsters. Normal Monsters do not have effects, and in comparison to their Effect monster counter parts, normally have higher ATK and DEF.
The main physical different between Normal Monsters and Effect monsters is their card background color, as shown here between Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.
Other Monster Cards
There are several different types of monster cards, denoted by their background color.
Ritual Monster Fusion Monster Synchro Monster Xyz Monster
Ritual Monster Fusion Monster Synchro Monster Xyz Monster
The Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz monsters are not put in your Main Deck, but rather in a deck called an Extra Deck (formerly known as the Fusion Deck). To learn the mechanics of these monsters, click on the link above the monster type you are curious about.