How To Build Yu-Gi-Oh! Deck: Complete Guide

October 16, 2022 · Your Playmat
yu-gi-oh! logo

Yu-Gi-Oh is one of the most popular card games on the planet. Millions of players play it, and professionals show their skills at official competitions. However, you must have a properly built deck to enjoy the game and show the maximum level of monsters and spells.

At first glance, it may seem challenging to build professional Yu-Gi-Oh decks to play effectively. And there are reasons for this in the form of many cards, variations of monsters, spells, and traps, as well as their combinations and dependencies. When building a deck, there are many factors that beginners will not always be able to cope with.

We have dedicated this article to the game's deck-building to solve this problem. Keep reading and get all the basic knowledge regarding the selection of cards, their number, and their combination.

Think Out Your Game Style

Every card player has their own style, combining strategies, skills, and intuition. But many don't realize that your style also reflects your personality.

Are you a control player who likes to stall the game and grind out wins? Or are you an all-out aggressor who wants to end the game as quickly as possible? Maybe you're somewhere in between.

There are three main steps to thinking out your game style when building Yu-Gi-Oh! deck:

  1. First, you need to identify your goals. What do you want to achieve by playing a game? Once you know what you want to accomplish, you can start planning your strategy;
  2. Second, you need to take into account your skill level. Are you a beginner, intermediate, or advanced player? Your strategy should be tailored to your skill level so that you can be successful;
  3. Third, you need to consider your personality. Do you like taking risks or playing it safe? Are you aggressive or passive? Your game style should be a reflection of your personality. If you want to take risks, then an aggressive strategy might be right for you. But a more passive strategy might be better suited if you prefer to play it safe.

Define Your Deck Type

yu-gi-oh! cards in game

The next step in building your Yu-Gi-Oh deck is deciding what kind of deck you want to build. There are five main types of decks in Yu-Gi-Oh: aggro, control, combo, midrange, and hybrid. Each type of deck has its strengths and weaknesses, so choosing the right one for your playstyle is essential:

  1. If you're the player who likes to get in your opponent's face and deal as much damage as possible, then an Aggro deck is right for you. Aggro decks are all about speed and aggression, and they typically rely on low-level monsters to swarm the field and overwhelm the opponent;
  2. A control deck might be your style if you prefer a more strategic and patient approach. Control decks focus on surviving the early game and using powerful late-game cards to finish the opponent. These decks typically have a lot of removal spells to deal with opponents' threats, as well as traps and other defensive cards to stall the game until they can take over;
  3. Midrange decks are a happy medium between Aggro and Control decks. They typically have a bit of everything, including creatures, removal spells, traps, or other defensive cards. Midrange decks can be versatile and adaptable, making them a good choice for players who like to adjust their strategy;
  4. Hybrid decks are exactly what they sound like: a mix of two or more different deck types. For example, you could build a Combo/Control deck that focuses on setting up powerful combos while using removal spells and traps to control the board. Or you could build an Aggro/Midrange deck that uses low-level monsters to swarm the field early on and then transitions into a more midrange-style game plan later in the match;
  5. Finally, Combo decks are all about putting together complex combos of cards to pull off powerful effects. These decks can be advantageous to play if you're a player who enjoys figuring out new and creative ways to win. However, they can also be frustrating if your combo doesn't come together the way you wanted it to.

Once you've decided which type of deck you want to build, it's time to start thinking about what cards you'll need.

But remember that the maximum you can have is 6 cards.

Choose Your Monsters

Now your task is to collect your active monsters for the game. Remember that you must have no more than 18 monsters.

When building a Yugioh deck, it is crucial to choose your monsters carefully. This is because the monsters in your deck will determine what strategies you can use and what kind of deck you will have. There are a few things you should keep in mind when choosing your monsters:

  • Сonsider the level of your monsters. The level of your monsters will determine how powerful they are and what strategies you can use with them. It would be best if you tried to include a mix of high-level and low-level monsters in your deck so that you can adapt to any situation;
  • Think of the attributes of your monsters. Each monster has one or more features, and these attributes can be used to your advantage if you know how to use them correctly. For example, fire-type monsters are weak against water-type monsters but strong against wind-type monsters. By including a mix of different attribute types in your deck, you can be prepared for any situation.

Choosing the suitable monsters for your Yu-Gi-Oh deck is essential if you want success. Keep these tips in mind when selecting your monsters; you will be well on building a winning deck.

Control Quantity

Remember that your deck should have approximately this many monsters:

  • Level 1 - 2 - 12 pieces;
  • Level 5 - 6 from 2 to 4 pieces;
  • Level 7 - no more than 2. However, this indicator may vary depending on the deck type. Sometimes some decks consist only of high-level monsters. But in most cases, decks do not contain many high-level monsters since they need to be summoned especially, and the player may not have cards for this.

Choose Your Spells And Traps

The next step in Yu-Gi-Oh deck building is picking spells and traps. The right mix of these two elements can effectively help your cards throughout the game.

So, for spells, you should select about 12-15 cards. 5 of them will help your main monsters and combinations. The rest you can choose to combine with your favorites or other cards. Check that your cards are able to destroy traps and spells, protect you from monsters and destroy the enemy.

It is also important to pay attention to traps during deck building. Remember that there should be no more than 8 cards. However, there may be decks in which there will be no traps. When picking traps, check your deck type and make sure that about 5 traps will fit the deck. And the rest of them can be given to other aspects of your deck at your discretion.


Thanks to the correct selection of traps and spells, you can quickly achieve your goals on the battlefield.

Add Some Cards To The Extra Yu-Gi-Oh Decks

5 yu-gi-oh cards on the desk

There are two types of additional decks:

  • Extra decks are those card sets that contain unique monsters like Fusion, Xyz, Synchro, Link, and Pendulum. Such monsters cannot appear on the battlefield just like that and depend on some effects. If you feel you have room for these cards, add them to your side deck;
  • Side deck. This is a specialized set of 15 cards used in official competitions. These cards can be exchanged for any cards from your deck between rounds. However, each player must reveal all 15 cards.

Such sets can significantly change the course of the game and force the enemy to kneel in front of your monster and surrender in a fair fight.

Test Your Yu-Gi-Oh Deck

After the building, it's time to test your Yu-Gi-Oh deck. First, you need to check if you can play with your cards and how often you will get a playable combination. To do this, you must shuffle the deck and draw five cards into your hand. If you can play with these cards, put them back in the deck and shuffle again. Now take five more cards and see if they are playable. Repeat the procedure several times. If the combinations are playable, your deck is good.

Now you only have to play a few games with local players or your friends to see if your deck is good enough to play. Also, don't forget to improve your deck and buy new boosters.

Clue! If you know what specific card you need, it's easier to buy it separately and from players, on the Internet than to try to find it in boosters. This approach will save you time and money.

Bottom Line

As you can see, building a deck for the game is not that difficult. It is enough to use your strategic thinking and think ahead. However, using only a dry approach would be foolish, as a bit of improvisation can bring new emotions to your battle because you are not playing to save your own life but for entertainment.

FAQ

How Do I Know My Yugioh Deck Is Good?

To do this, test your deck in a game with friends. If you notice that the starting cards are suitable for the game and you are not out of the game too quickly, your card deck is good.

How To Test My Yugioh Deck?

For the test, it is enough to shuffle the deck and take the first five cards. If their combination allows you to start the game successfully, you have assembled a great deck. However, you should repeat the procedure several times in a row for more accurate results.

Why Is It Essential To Build Yugioh Deck?

Building your deck is vital to get the most exciting emotions from playing cards. You can show off your advanced skills with a more fabulous deck and surprise other players.

How Many People Play Yugioh?

According to the latest statistics, about one million people play Yu-Gi-Oh, which gradually increases.