Table of Contents Table of Contents

l About the Game .......................................................................... 1

1 Getting Started 4 Battles and Chains

l Things you need to Duel ............................................................ 2 l Monster Battle Rules .............................................................. 41
l The Game Mat ............................................................................. 4 l Chains and Spell Speed ............................................................ 44
2 Game Cards
l Monster Cards .......................................................................... 6
5 Other Rules
l Effect Monsters ........................................................................ 9 l Other Rules .............................................................................. 49
l Link Monsters ......................................................................... 12 l Glossary ................................................................................... 52
l Pendulum Monsters ................................................................ 16
l Xyz Monsters ........................................................................... 18
l Synchro Monsters ................................................................... 20
l Fusion Monsters ...................................................................... 22
l Ritual Monsters ...................................................................... 23
l Summoning Monster Cards ..................................................... 24
l Spell & Trap Cards ................................................................... 26
3 How to Play
l Let the Duel Begin! ................................................................... 32
l Preparing to Duel ................................................................... 33
l Turn Structure ........................................................................ 34
i ii
What is the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME? ABOUT THE GAME

With the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME you can take part in the CREATE YOUR OWN DECK
exciting card game action seen in the family of Yu-Gi-Oh! TV and With thousands of cards to choose from, you can create and
comic mega-hits. customize your own Deck with your favorite cards. Every Duelist
will have their own unique Deck, completely different from every
In this game, two players Duel each other using a variety of Monster, other Duelist’s Deck, which makes it really exciting to play!
Spell, and Trap Cards to defeat their opponent’s monsters and be the
first to drop the other’s LP (Life Points) to 0.
Everything you need to start playing is in this Deck, but there are
thousands more cards to choose from, so collecting additional cards
in Booster Packs will let you customize your Deck and increase your
chances of winning!
BATTLE WITH FANTASTIC MONSTERS & GREAT COMBOS
Even if a card does not have enough power on its own,
This is the official Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME rulebook. It’s it may become powerful when combined
important to learn how to play correctly, so you should read this with other cards. It’s fun to collect all the
rulebook before playing if you’re new to the game. Understanding different cards available and create your
the rules will help you make the best use of your cards, so keep own combos, then unleash them in a Duel.
the rulebook handy during your first few games. You can also visit
www.yugioh-card.com for more information.

POWER UP YOUR DECK WITH BOOSTER PACKS

Booster Packs are released every few months,
bringing new cards and new combos to add new
strength to your Deck. Duels evolve every time
a new Booster Pack is released, keeping your
Duels cool and exciting.

iii 1
 1 Getting Started Additional items you may need

Getting Started
Getting Started

Things you need to Duel Coin Dice

Deck ................................................(40 to 60 cards) Some cards require a coin toss. If you Just like the coin, there are some
play with these, have a coin ready to cards that need a die roll. If you play
Assemble your favorite cards into a Deck that follows these rules: flip. with these, have a standard die ready
with numbers 1 through 6.
lThe Deck must be 40 to 60 cards.
lYou can only have up to 3 copies of the same card in your Deck,
Extra Deck and Side Deck combined.
Also, some cards are Forbidden, Limited or Semi-Limited in official
tournaments. (See page 45 for details.)
Try to keep your Deck close to the 40-card minimum. Having a Deck Counters Monster Tokens
with too many cards makes it hard to draw your best cards when you Some cards will require markers Tokens are used to represent
need them. This Deck is called your Main Deck. (called counters) to keep track of monsters that can be created by card
things like the number of turns, or a effects. Any object used for a Token
Extra Deck ..........................................(0 to 15 cards) card’s power level. You can use small needs to have two distinct ways to
This Deck consists of Xyz Monsters, Synchro Monsters and Fusion objects like glass beads, paper clips, place it that can clearly indicate the
or pennies for the counters, which are monster’s battle position. (See page
Monsters, which can be used during the game if you meet certain then placed on these face-up cards. 45 for details.)
requirements. The rules for Extra Decks are:
lYou can have up to 15 cards in the Extra Deck.
lThe Extra Deck can contain Xyz Monsters, Synchro Monsters and
Fusion Monsters, in any combination.
lThese cards are not counted towards the 40-card minimum limit \ Items which can help during a Duel
of your Main Deck.
Calculator Card Sleeves
Side Deck ...........................................(0 to 15 cards)
LP changes quickly during a Duel. It’s Plastic sleeves can prevent your cards
This is a separate Deck of cards you can use to change your Deck smart to use a calculator to keep track from getting bent or scratched. If you
during a Match. After each Duel in a Match, you can swap any card of your LP. During important Duels, use card sleeves, they all have to be
from your Side Deck with a card from your Deck and/or Extra Deck to you should track your LP on paper as the same so your cards aren’t marked.
well to be extra-careful.
customize your strategy against your opponent. The number of cards in
your Side Decks must not exceed 15. The number of cards in your Side
Deck before and after you swap any cards must be exactly the same.
2 3
 7 7
THE GAME MAT
The Game Mat helps you organize your cards
during a Duel. When you use your cards you place
5 1 3
them on the Game Mat. Different kinds of cards
are placed in different Zones.
Each Duelist needs their own Game Mat; place
them together while Dueling. This combined space
is known as “the field.” The Game Mat contained 6 2 4
in this product is just for your half of the field.
The cards you “control” are the cards on your side
of the field.
Your Deck is placed face-down in this space. You draw cards
You can also Duel without using the Game Mat as
long as you remember where to place the cards.
4 from here to add to your hand. If a card effect requires you
to reveal cards from your Deck, or look through it, shuffle
Deck it and put it back in this space afterwards.
This is where you put your monsters when they’re played.
1 You can have up to 5 cards here. There are 3 ways to
position your Monster Cards: face-up Attack Position, Special Spell Cards called Field Spell Cards are played here.
Main Monster face-up Defense Position, and face-down Defense Position. 5
Place the card upright for Attack Position, and sideways Each player can have 1 Field Spell Card on their own side
Zone
for Defense Position. of the field. To use another Field Spell, send your previous
Field Zone one to the Graveyard. Field Spell Cards do not count
This is where you put Spell & Trap Cards. You can have up to towards the 5-card limit of your Spell & Trap Zone.
2 5 cards here. You place them here face-up to activate them,
or place them face-down. Pendulum Monster Cards can be Place your Extra Deck face-down in this space. You can
Spell & Trap activated in the leftmost and rightmost zones as Spells. This 6 look at the cards in your own Extra Deck during the game.
During a Duel, Extra Deck Monsters may be Summoned
Zone causes the zone you use to also become a Pendulum Zone
Pendulum Zone for as long as the Pendulum Monster Card is there. (See Extra Deck to the field from here using special methods. Pendulum
page 23 for details on Pendulum Monster Cards.) Monster Cards that would be sent from the field to the
Graveyard are placed face-up here.
When Monster Cards are destroyed, and when Spell & This is where you put your monsters that are Summoned to
3 Trap Cards are used, they’re sent face-up to this space.
The contents of both players’ Graveyards are public 7 the field by special methods from the Extra Deck, like Link
knowledge, and your opponent can look through yours at Monsters and Fusion Monsters. Normally, each player can
Graveyard any time during the Duel. The order of the cards in the Extra Monster only use 1 of these zones. A monster placed in this zone
(GY) Graveyard should not be changed. Graveyard is shortened Zone does not count towards the 5-monster limit of your Main
in the card text to “GY”. Monster Zone.
4 5
 2 Game Cards 3 Attribute
Every monster has an Attribute.
DARK EARTH FIRE

Monster Cards This Attribute is sometimes

important for card effects.
LIGHT WATER WIND
HOW TO READ A CARD

1 Card Name 3 Attribute

Game Cards

Game Cards
2 Level 4 Type
Monsters are divided into various Types. Some monsters with
specific abilities will have additional information here too, next to
their Type.

5 Card Number
7 Card 5 Card Number
Description A card’s identification number is found here. This number is useful
for collecting, and for sorting your collection.
4 Type
6 ATK (Attack Points)
DEF (Defense Points) 6 ATK (Attack Points) / DEF (Defense Points)
ATK is a monster’s Attack Points and DEF is a monster’s Defense
Points. High Attack and Defense Points are good when battling!

1 Card Name 2 Level

This is the card’s name. When a Count the number of stars here 7 Card Description
card name is mentioned in card to find out the monster’s Level. Card effects are written here, describing the monster’s special
text it appears in quotations. If For Xyz Monsters, the number abilities and how to use them. Normally, the effects of monsters
cards have the same name, they of stars is the Rank of the cannot be used while they are Set face-down on the field. Yellow
are considered to be the same monster, and is on left. Normal Monster Cards do not have effects, and have a description
card. of them written here that does not affect the game.
6 7
ATK / DEF /
 WHAT IS A MONSTER CARD? <<< Effect Monsters
Monster Cards are used to battle and defeat your opponent. Battles
between Monster Cards are the foundation of any Duel. An Effect Monster is a monster
that has special abilities.
There are many kinds of Monster Cards. This game is more than a The effects of these monsters
simple slugfest, so monsters with high Attack and Defense Points will are split into four categories:
not be enough. There are also monsters with strong special effects
Game Cards

Game Cards
even though their ATK and DEF points are low. Therefore, your • Continuous Effect
success in a Duel depends on how skillfully you can make use of the • Ignition Effect
different kinds of cards. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of • Quick Effect
monsters. • Trigger Effect (including Flip)

<<< Normal Monsters Continuous Effect

These are basic Monster Cards This effect is active while the Effect Monster Card is face-up on
without special abilities. Many the field. The effect starts when the face-up monster appears
Normal Monsters have higher on the field, and ends once that monster is gone or is no longer
Attack Points and Defense face-up; there is no trigger for its activation. These monsters
Points than Effect Monsters, are most useful if you have a strategy to protect them while
instead of having special they are on the field.
abilities.

Monsters with 2000 or less ATK cannot declare

Example an attack.

8 9
 Ignition Effect Trigger Effect
You use this type of effect just by declaring its activation during These effects are activated at specific times, such as “during
your Main Phase. (See Turn Structure, page 30.) There are some the Standby Phase” or “when this monster is destroyed”. These
Ignition Effects that have a cost to activate, like discarding cards cards can make for some great combos, but it’s easier for your
from your hand, Tributing a monster, or paying LP. Because you opponent to predict what will happen, so they might try to stop
can choose when to activate this type of effect, it’s easy to you.
create combos with them.
Game Cards

Game Cards
You can Tribute this card, then target 1 monster When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the
Example on the field; destroy that target. Example Graveyard: Target 1 card on the field; destroy that target.

Quick Effect Flip Effect

These are special monster effects that you can activate even Flip effect is a part of the Trigger Effect.
during your opponent’s turn. These types of effects have a This is an effect that is activated when a face-down card is
Spell Speed of 2, even though all other monster effects have a flipped face-up. This can happen when it is Flip Summoned,
Spell Speed of 1. (See Spell Speed, page 41.) Since it’s difficult for attacked while face-down, or flipped face-up by a card effect.
your opponent to predict these cards, they can give them an These effects start with the word “FLIP:” on the card. When
unexpected surprise. you have a face-down monster, your opponent must be wary
because they don’t know if it has a Flip effect or not.
(Formerly called Multi-Trigger Effects.)

When an effect is activated (Quick Effect): FLIP: Draw 1 card.

Example You can target 1 card in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. Example

10 11
 LINK MONSTERS HOW TO LINK SUMMON
A Link Monster is a new kind of 1 Check the materials of the Link Monster you want to Summon.
monster with the ability to increase During your Main Phase, declare that you are Link Summoning,
the number of monsters you can send a number of face-up monsters from your field to the
Summon from your Extra Deck. 2 Graveyard equal to the Link Rating of that Link Monster. They
In addition to the 1 Extra Monster must also match the material requirements listed in the monster’s
Zone you can usually use, you can “recipe” written on the card.
also Summon monsters from the
Extra Deck to any of your Main 3 Place the Link Monster from your Extra Deck in the Extra Monster
Zone, or one of your Main Monster Zones that another Link
Monster Zones that has a Link Monster is pointing to.
Monster’s red arrow pointing to it.

Link Arrows - A Link Monster can apply

its effects on cards or zones that its lit-up,
red Link Arrows point to. When a Link
Monster’s red arrow points to a monster,
those monsters are “linked”. When two
Link Monsters have red arrows that point
at each other, they are “co-linked”.
If 2 Extra Monster Zones are available, you can choose either one to
Link Materials - These are the Link Summon your monster.
Materials you need to Summon this
Monster. Use this “recipe” printed here If there is a Link Monster already on the field, you can Link Summon a
to Link Summon this monster. monster in one of your zones it points to.

LINK Rating - This is the number of Link

Arrows that monster has and the number
of monsters needed to Summon it.

12 13
 LINK MONSTER BONUSES MORE ABOUT LINK MONSTERS
Special Summon to
the Main Monster Zones Link Monsters have no DEF and cannot ever be in Defense Position.
They can’t be changed to Defense Position by a card effect. They
Monsters Summoned from the can’t even be flipped into face-down Defense Position.
Extra Deck normally have to go in
the Extra Monster Zone. But Link If your opponent has a monster in the Extra Monster Zone, it’s still
Monsters open up more zones a monster they control so you can’t attack directly. You have to
for you to use, because every Special Summon monsters from battle and destroy all their monsters first, including the one in the
your Extra Deck in these zones!
Main Monster Zone that a Link Extra Monster Zone.
Monster points to can also be
used to Summon monsters from your Extra Deck. Monsters that If you take control of your opponent’s monster in the Extra Monster
started in the Extra Deck, but later end up in the Graveyard (or Zone, it moves to your Main Monster Zone. When it goes back to
are banished) and are Summoned from there, also go in the Main your opponent, it goes to their Main Monster Zone, not the Extra
Monster Zones (and don’t need a Link Monster to point to them). Monster Zone.

Link Monsters already on the field make great material! As long as the materials meet the requirements of the Link Monster
Normally, 1 monster equals 1 Link Material. But when you use a you want to Summon, you can use a Token or Trap Card that is
Link Monster as material for another Link Summon, you can count treated as a monster as the Link Material.
it as either 1 monster, or as a number of monsters equal to its
Link Rating. For example, if you want to Summon a Link 3 monster Remember that when you Link Summon, you need to meet 3 goals:
that requires 2 or more materials in its “recipe”, you can either • The amount of materials you use matches the Link Rating (Link
use 3 monsters (each counts as 1 material) or else a Link 2 Link Monsters count as 1 OR their own Link Rating).
Monster (counts as 1 or 2 materials) and a second monster (counts
as 1 material). • The number of materials you use meets the number specified in
the materials line or “recipe”.

• The materials match any other requirements in the materials line

(such as only Effect Monsters, or only a specific Type of monster).

OR

14 15
PENDULUM MONSTER CARDS HOW TO PENDULUM SUMMON
During your Main Phase, activate Pendulum Monster
Pendulum Monster Cards
are a unique kind of card 1 Cards as Spell Cards in your leftmost and rightmost Spell
& Trap Zones. These Spell & Trap Zones also become
that blurs the line between Pendulum Zones.
Monsters and Spells! They can
After you have one in each Pendulum Zone, once
be Summoned as monsters to 2 per turn during your Main Phase, declare that you’re
attack or defend, or you can Pendulum Summoning.
activate them as Spell Cards
Check the Pendulum Scales on the sides of your 2
in your Pendulum Zones to Pendulum Monster Cards, then Special Summon as many
activate extra special abilities 3 monsters as you want from your hand and as many face-
up Pendulum Monsters from your Extra Deck, whose
and allow you to Pendulum Levels are in between those Pendulum Scales.
Summon!

Pendulum Effect - When you play this

card as a Spell Card in your Pendulum
Zone, this is its effect. Some Pendulum
Monster Cards may not have Pendulum
Effects.

Pendulum Scale - Pendulum Scale is a

number that determines which monsters You can Special Summon
you can Special Summon during a monsters with
Pendulum Summon. The Pendulum Scale Levels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
of this card is 1.
Whenever one of your Pendulum Monster Cards on the field
Monster Effect - When you play this (regardless of which Zone it is in, or even if it is a monster or
card as a regular Monster Card, this is not) would be sent to the Graveyard, place it face-up on your
its effect. Some Pendulum Monster Cards Extra Deck instead. You can Pendulum Summon it back to the field
may not have monster effects. later! Monsters Pendulum Summoned from the Extra Deck must be
Summoned to the Extra Monster Zone or your Main Monster Zone
pointed to by a Link Monster.
16 17
 XYZ MONSTERS HOW TO XYZ SUMMON
Xyz Summoning is your cool and easy way to Special Summon
Xyz Monsters from your Extra Deck. Here’s how to do it!
Xyz Monsters (pronounced “ik- Choose an Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck
seez”) are a powerful kind of 1 that you have the right Xyz Materials for. The
Xyz Materials should be face-up on your field.
monster! You can Summon an
Xyz Monster whenever you
control monsters that are the During your Main Phase, declare that you are
same Level. Xyz Monsters start 2 Xyz Summoning and stack the Xyz Materials on
top of each other.
in your Extra Deck, not in your
Main Deck, and wait for you to
call them into action. Take the Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck and
3 put it on top of the stacked Xyz Materials in the
Extra Monster Zone in face-up Attack or Defense
Position.

If there is a Link Monster on the field, you can Xyz Summon a monster in
Materials needed for an Xyz Summon one of your zones it points to.
Xyz Monster’s Rank -
This is the Rank of your Xyz
Monster. Xyz Monsters have
Ranks instead of Levels.
Stronger Xyz Monsters have
higher Ranks. This is a Rank
4 Xyz Monster.

Xyz Materials -
These are the Xyz Materials
you need to Summon this
monster. You use 2 Level 4 LEVEL 4 LEVEL 4 Xyz Summon!
Monsters as the Xyz Materials
to Summon this monster. Xyz
Materials must be face-up When an Xyz Monster tells you to “detach” a material, take one of the
before you can use them. stacked Xyz Material cards beneath your Xyz Monster and put it in the
Graveyard.
18 19
 SYNCHRO MONSTERS HOW TO SYNCHRO SUMMON
During your Main Phase, you can declare a Synchro Summon when
Synchro Monsters are placed in the the combined total Levels of 1 face-up Tuner monster and any
Extra Deck, separate from the Main
Deck. You can Special Summon a
1 number of other face-up monsters you control are equal to the
Level of the Synchro Monster you want to Synchro Summon.
powerful Synchro Monster to the
field in an instant just by using the
Levels of your monsters. They can
be Synchro Summoned from the After double-checking the Level of the Synchro Monster you
Extra Deck by sending 1 face-up want, send the face-up Synchro Materials from your field to the
“Tuner” monster and any number 2 Graveyard.
of face-up non-Tuner monsters from
your field to the Graveyard, when
the sum of all their Levels is exactly
After sending the Synchro Materials from the field to the
equal to the Level of the Synchro
Graveyard, take the Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck and
Monster. 3 play it in the Extra Monster Zone in face-up Attack or Defense
Position.
TUNER
TUNER MONSTERS
MONSTERS FOR
FOR SYNCHRO
SYNCHRO SUMMON
SUMMON If there is a Link Monster on the field, you can Synchro Summon a
monster in one of your zones it points to.

In order to Synchro Summon LEVEL 3 LEVEL 2 LEVEL 5

a Synchro Monster, you need
1 Tuner (look for “Tuner” next
to its Type). The Tuner monster

+ =
and other face-up monsters you
use for the Synchro Summon are
called Synchro Materials. The
sum of their Levels is the Level
of Synchro Monster you can
Summon.
Tuner Non-Tuner Monster Synchro Summon!

20 21
 FUSION MONSTERS RITUAL MONSTERS

Fusion Monsters are also placed Ritual Monsters are special monsters
in your Extra Deck (not in your that are Special Summoned with a
Main Deck). They are Summoned specific Ritual Spell Card, along with
by using the specific monsters a required Tribute. Ritual Monster
listed on the card (called Cards are placed in the Main Deck and
Fusion Materials) combined
with a Summoning card like cannot be Summoned unless you have
Polymerization. They usually all the proper cards together in your
have special abilities and very hand or on the field. Ritual Monsters
high Attack Points as well. Since generally have high ATK and DEF and
Fusion Summons require specific some have special abilities, just like
cards, be sure and include those Fusion Monsters.
necessary cards in your Main
Deck!

HOW TO FUSION SUMMON HOW TO RITUAL SUMMON

If you have all the Fusion Materials listed When you have a Ritual Spell Card, along with the matching Ritual
on the Fusion Monster Card, in the places
1 specified on your Summoning card, you can Monster Card, in your hand, along with the required Tribute (as
activate your Summoning card by placing it in
your Spell & Trap Zone.
1 listed on the Ritual Spell Card), you can activate the Ritual Spell Card,
placing it in the Spell & Trap Zone.
Send the Fusion Materials to the Graveyard, then
take the appropriate Fusion Monster from your
2 Extra Deck and play it in the Extra Monster Zone
in either face-up Attack or Defense Position. If the activation of the Ritual Spell Card is successful,

Finally, place your Summoning card in the

2 Tribute monsters by sending them from your hand or
the field to the Graveyard. The Ritual Spell Card will
Graveyard. (If another card effect causes your list the required amount to Tribute.
3 Fusion Materials to be sent to a place other
than the Graveyard when your Summoning card Polymerization
After sending the Tributed monsters to the Graveyard,
resolves, send them to that other place, but the Fusion Summon still
play the Ritual Monster Card in your Main Monster
happens anyway.) 3 Zone in either face-up Attack or Defense Position.
If there is a Link Monster on the field, you can Fusion Summon a Finally, place the Ritual Spell Card in the Graveyard. Ritual Spell Card
monster in one of your zones it points to.
22 23
 Summoning Monster Cards If you Tribute Summon in face-down Defense Position, it is called
There are several ways to play monsters onto the field. These ways a Tribute Set. A monster Tribute Set on the field is NOT considered
can be categorized into 2 groups: actions that can be done only once Summoned.
per turn, and actions that can be done multiple times per turn. Note: When a card explains a special method to Tribute Summon a
monster, you can also Tribute Set the monster by the same method.
 Normal Summon
 Flip Summon
This is the most common way to Summon a monster. Simply play
You can change a face-down Defense Position monster into face-
Game Cards

Game Cards
a Monster Card from your hand onto the field in face-up Attack
up Attack Position, without using a card effect. This is called a Flip
Position. All Normal Monsters, and most Effect Monsters (unless
Summon. When you Flip Summon, you cannot change the monster to

You can do as many of these during a turn as you want

they have a specific restriction), can be Summoned in this way.
face-up Defense Position, only to face-up Attack Position. A Monster
 Normal Set Card cannot be Flip Summoned in the same turn that it was Set onto
To play a Monster Card from your hand in face-down Defense the field. You cannot use most monsters’ effects until they are face-up.
You can do one of these once per turn

Position is called a Normal Set. A monster Normal Set on the

field is NOT considered Summoned. It has been Normal Set, and  Special Summon
can be Summoned with a Flip Summon or flipped face-up by an Some monsters can be played onto the field without being Normal
attack or card effect. Remember, you can only Normal Summon Summoned or Set. This is called a Special Summon. Pendulum Summons,
OR Normal Set (Normal Summon/Set, in short), once per turn, so Xyz Summons, Synchro Summons, Fusion Summons and Ritual Summons
if you Normal Set a monster you cannot also Normal Summon a are all Special Summons. Some Effect Monsters also have specific
monster that turn. conditions that allow you to Special Summon them. Unless otherwise
Note: You cannot play a monster from your hand onto the field specified, a Special Summoned monster is played onto the field in your
in face-up Defense Position. choice of face-up Attack Position or face-up Defense Position.
 Tribute Summon  Special Summon with a Card’s Effect
For monsters that are Level 5 or higher, you must Tribute at least Monsters can also be Special Summoned onto the field through the effect
1 monster you control before the Normal Summon/Set. This is of another card. This is different from “Special Summon Monsters.” You
called a Tribute Summon. Monsters that are Level 5 or 6 require cannot use a card effect to Special Summon those monsters from your
1 Tribute and Monsters that are Level 7 or higher require 2 Tributes. hand, Deck, or the Graveyard unless it was properly Special Summoned
first. For example, if a Synchro Monster is sent from your Extra Deck
Level 5, 6 Level 7 or higher to the Graveyard without being Synchro Summoned, you cannot use a
Spell Card to Special Summon it from the Graveyard, because Synchro
1 Tribute 2 Tributes Monsters have to be properly Special Summoned first, before they can
be Special Summoned by another card’s effect.
24 25
 1 Card Name 2 Type
Spell & Trap Cards
Remember, cards with the same Instead of having an Attribute
HOW TO READ A CARD name are considered to be the symbol like Monster Cards, a
same card, and you can only Spell Card has the “SPELL 魔”
Spell Card have up to 3 copies of the same symbol and a Trap Card has the
card in your Main Deck and Side “TRAP 罠” symbol.
2 Type Deck combined.
Game Cards

Game Cards
3 Icon
There are 6 types of icons that represent special properties a Spell or
3 Icon
Trap Card may have. Spell and Trap Cards without an icon are called
Normal Spell Cards or Normal Trap Cards.

5 Card Number
Equip Field Quick-Play

Ritual Continuous Counter

1 Card Name 4 Card Description 5 Card Number

Each card’s activation A card’s identification number is
conditions and effects are found here. This number is useful
provided here. Read the card for collecting, and for sorting
description carefully and follow your collection.
the instructions.
4 Card Description

Trap Card
26 27
 <<< Spell Cards Continuous Spell Cards
These cards remain on the field once they are activated, and their effect
Spell Cards can normally be continues while the card stays face-up on the field. By using Continuous Spell
activated only during your Main Cards, you can create lasting positive effects with a single card, which is great
Phase, and help you out with but there’s the chance that the opponent will remove it from the field before
you benefit from the effect.
different effects. Spell Cards
have many powerful effects,
Game Cards

Game Cards
like destroying other cards or
strengthening monsters. Save
these cards in your hand until Equip Spell Cards Field Spell Cards
you can get the best results out These cards give an extra effect to These cards go in your Field Zone
of them. 1 face-up monster of your choice and stay there. Each player can have
(either your own or your opponent’s, 1 Field Spell Card on their own side
depending on the card). They remain of the field. To use another Field
on the field after they are activated. Spell, send your previous one to the
The Equip Spell Card affects only Graveyard. Many Field Spell effects
1 monster (called the equipped apply to BOTH players.
monster), but still occupies one of
your Spell & Trap Zones. If possible, These cards may be placed face-
Normal Spell Cards place it in the zone directly behind down in the Field Zone, but are not
the equipped monster to help you active until flipped face-up.
Normal Spell Cards have single-use effects. To use a Normal Spell Card, remember. If the equipped monster
announce its activation to your opponent, placing it face-up on the field. is destroyed, flipped face-down, or
If the activation succeeds, then you resolve the effect written on the card. removed from the field, its Equip
After resolving the effect, send the card to the Graveyard. Cards are destroyed.

Quick-Play Spell Cards

These are special Spell Cards that can be activated during any Phase of
Ritual Spell Cards your turn, not just your Main Phase. You can also activate them during your
opponent’s turn if you Set the card face-down first, but then you cannot
These Spell Cards are used to perform Ritual Summons. Use these cards activate the card in the same turn you Set it.
in the same way as you would use Normal Spell Cards.

28 29
 <<< Trap Cards Continuous Trap Cards
Just like Continuous Spell Cards, Continuous Trap Cards remain on the field
Trap Cards will help you out with once they are activated and their effects continue while they are face-up on the
different effects, just like Spell field. Some Continuous Trap Cards have abilities similar to the Ignition Effects or
Trigger Effects that can be found on Effect Monster Cards.
Cards. The big difference between
Continuous Trap Cards can have effects that limit your opponent’s options, or
them is that you can activate Trap that slowly damage your opponent’s LP.
Cards during your opponent’s turn.
Many Spell Cards have effects useful
Game Cards

Game Cards
for offense, but Trap Cards have
the ability to surprise the opponent
by disrupting their attacks and
strategies. Using Trap Cards can
sometimes be tricky, since your Counter Trap Cards
opponent might have to do certain These Trap Cards are normally activated in response to the activation of other
things before you can unleash them. cards, and may have abilities like negating the effects of those cards. These
types of Traps are effective against Normal Spell Cards or Normal Trap Cards,
which are otherwise hard to stop, however many Counter Trap Cards require
a cost to activate them.
Normal Trap Cards
Before you can activate a Trap Card, you must Set it on the field first.
You cannot activate a Trap in the same turn that you Set it, but you
can activate it at any time after that—starting from the beginning of
the next turn.  The Difference between Set Spell Cards and Set Trap Cards
Normal Trap Cards have single-use effects and once their effects are Spell Cards can be Set face-down on the field like Trap Cards.
resolved, they will be sent to the Graveyard, just like Normal Spell
Cards. They are also similar to Normal Spell Cards because once However, the rules for the two types of cards are different.
activated, their effects are not likely to be stopped. However, your Spell Cards can be activated during the Main Phases even in the
opponent can destroy your face-down Trap Cards on the turn they were same turn that you Set them (except for Quick-Play Spell Cards).
Set, or before the time is right to activate them. Because of this, you
must be smart about how you use your Trap Cards. Setting them does not allow you to use them on your opponent’s
turn; they still can only be activated during your Main Phase.
You can Set a Spell Card face-down on the field to bluff your
opponent into thinking you have a powerful Trap.

30 31
 3 How to Play Preparing to Duel
Before starting a Duel, follow these 4 steps. Also, make sure you
Let the Duel Begin! have all your extra items that your Deck might need, like a coin or
counters.
 How to Duel and How to Win
A single game is called a Duel, and a Duel ends when one player wins
or the game ends in a draw. Duels are played in sets of 3 called a After greeting your opponent, shuffle your Deck thoroughly. Then you may
shuffle and cut your opponent’s Deck (be careful when touching your opponent’s
Match, and the winner of best 2-out-of-3 wins the Match.
1 cards).

 Winning a Duel
Each player starts a Duel with 8000 LP (Life Points). You win a Duel
if: you reduce your opponent’s LP to 0; if your opponent is unable After cutting, place the Decks face-down in the proper Deck Zones on the field.
to draw a card; or if a card’s special effect says you win. If you and If using an Extra Deck with Xyz Monsters, Synchro Monsters or Fusion Monsters,
2 place it face-down in the Extra Deck Zone.

How To Play
How To Play

your opponent both reach 0 LP at the same time, the Duel is declared
a draw.

Victory Conditions Both players show each other their Side Decks, and record the number of cards in
• Reduce your opponent’s LP to 0. it, also confirming that they have 15 or fewer cards (the cards should be counted
• Your opponent is unable to draw a card when they are supposed
3 face-down). If you exchange cards between your Side and Main Decks after a
Duel, count the cards of your Side Deck for your opponent again to show that the
to draw. number of your cards remain the same.
• Win with a card’s special effect.
Play rock-paper-scissors or flip a coin. The winner decides to go first or second
in the Duel. For your next Duels, the loser of the previous Duel decides who goes
4 first. If the previous Duel ended in a tie, determine who starts first in the next
Duel with another coin toss, etc.
Finally, draw 5 cards from the top of your Deck; this is your starting hand.

Starting with the first player, it’s time to Duel!

32 33
 Turn Structure Draw Phase
A Duel progresses in a series of turns which are divided into phases. This is the first phase. The player whose turn it is (the “turn player”)
Prepare to Duel draws 1 card from the top of their Deck. A player with no cards left in
their Deck and unable to draw loses the Duel. After you draw, Trap
Cards or Quick-Play Spell Cards can be activated before proceeding
1st Player’s turn to the Standby Phase.
IMPORTANT: The player who goes first cannot draw during the
Draw Phase Draw Phase of their first turn.

Draw 1 Card (except for the very

Main Action in this Phase 1st turn of the Duel).
Standby Phase Activate Trap Cards, Quick-Play
Possible Other Actions Spell Cards, etc.

How To Play
How To Play

Main Phase 1 Standby Phase

Some cards have effects that activate, or costs you must pay, in the
If no battles are conducted Standby Phase. If you do not have any of these cards on the field, you
Battle Phase can still activate Trap Cards or Quick-Play Spell Cards before moving
on to your Main Phase 1.

Main Phase 2 Resolve card effects that happen

Main Action in this Phase in this phase
Possible Other Actions Activate Trap Cards, Quick-Play
Spell Cards, etc.
End Phase

2nd Player’s turn

34 35
 Main Phase 1 Battle Phase
This is when you play most of your cards: you can Normal Summon, Now it’s time to battle with your Monster Cards! This phase is divided
Set, or change the battle position of a monster, activate a card’s into steps.
effect, and Set Spell and Trap Cards. These actions can be done in You do not have to conduct a Battle Phase every turn, even if you
any order you want, but some actions have restrictions. have a monster on the field.
IMPORTANT: The player who goes first cannot conduct their
Battle Phase on their first turn.
Possible Actions in this Phase
Battle with monsters
Possible Actions in Activate Trap Cards and Quick-
Summon or Set a Monster this Phase
There is no limit to the number of times you can Flip Summon or Play Spell Cards
Special Summon during a turn, but you can only Normal Summon
or Set a monster (including a Tribute Summon) once per turn.

How To Play
How To Play

Change Your Monsters’ Battle Positions Flow of the

This includes Flip Summoning a monster, or changing the position Start step
of a face-up monster to face-up Attack or Defense Position. You
Battle Phase
can change the position of each monster you control, except in
three cases. 1. You cannot change the battle position of a monster
that was played onto the field this turn. 2. You cannot change it
in Main Phase 2 if the monster attacked during the Battle Phase.
3. You cannot change it if you have already changed its battle
position once this turn. Battle Step Damage Step
Active a Card or Effect
You can activate Spell and Trap Cards, or the effects of Spell, Trap,
or Effect Monster Cards as many times as you want during this The Battle Phase is split into
phase, as long as you can keep paying any costs involved. 4 steps and is conducted in the
Set Spell Cards and Trap Cards order shown in the diagram. The
End Step Battle Step and Damage Step are
You can Set Spell and Trap Cards face-down in your Spell & Trap
repeated each time you attack
Zone during this phase, as long as you have space.
with a monster.

36 37
 Start Step  Replay Rules during the Battle Step

This step starts the Battle Phase. The turn player should After you’ve announced your
announce “I’m entering the Battle Phase.” Remember, the player attacking monster and the attack Declare your attacking
who goes first cannot conduct a Battle Phase in their very first target monster during a Battle monster and your attack
turn. Step, the attack target might be target monster.
removed from the field, or a new
monster may be played onto the
Battle Step opponent’s side of the field before
the Damage Step, due to a card’s
Select 1 monster on your side of the field to attack with, and 1 of effect. This causes a “Replay.” The
your opponent’s monsters as your attack target, and then declare When this occurs, you can choose monsters
the attack. If your opponent does not have any monsters on the to attack with the same monster your opponent
field, you can attack directly. Play then proceeds to the Damage again, or choose to attack with a
Step. Afterwards, the attacking player returns to the Battle Step, controls change
different monster, or choose not before the Damage

How To Play
How To Play

and repeats this procedure. Each face-up Attack Position monster

you control is allowed 1 attack per turn. You do not have to attack to attack at all. Note that if you Step.
with a monster if you don’t want to. attack with a different monster,
the first monster is still considered
to have declared an attack, and it
cannot attack again this turn.
Damage Step
A replay happens!
In this step, the players calculate the result of the battle and Re-select a target monster.
whatever damage is done. (See “Monster Battle Rules”, page 37.)
After finishing the Damage Step, return to the Battle Step.

End Step
After you’ve resolved all your battles by repeating the Battle and
Damage Steps, and you have no more monsters you want to attack
with, announce to your opponent that you are ending your Battle
Phase.
38 39
 Main Phase 2 4 Battles and Chains
If you conducted your Battle Phase, your turn moves to Main Phase 2
afterwards. The actions a player can perform in this phase are the same Monster Battle Rules
as in Main Phase 1. However, if the player already did something in Main
Phase 1 that has a limit to the number of times it can be done, the player DAMAGE STEP RULES
cannot do it again in Main Phase 2. Consider if you want to activate and During the Damage Step, there are limits on what cards you can
Set Spell & Trap Cards, or Summon or Set a monster (if you didn’t do that activate. Also, during the Damage Step, Flip effects resolve a bit
in Main Phase 1) based on your situation after the Battle Phase. Use this differently than they normally do.
phase to prepare for the opponent’s turn.
Limitations on Activating Cards
Possible Actions in this Phase During the Damage Step, you can only activate Counter Trap Cards,
or cards with effects that directly change a monster’s ATK or DEF.
Summon or Set a monster
Also, these cards can only be activated up until the start of damage
Change your monsters’ battle positions
How To Play

calculation.
Active a card or effect
Attacking a Face-Down Card
Set Spell Cards and Trap Cards
If you attack a face-down Defense Position monster, flip the card to
face-up Defense Position in the Damage Step. Now you can see the
End Phase monster’s DEF and then calculate damage.
Activation of a Flip Effect

Battles and Chains

Announce the end of your turn, and if there are any cards on the
field which say “…during the End Phase…” in their text, resolve When an attacked monster is flipped face-up, any Flip effects are
those effects in this phase. If you have more than 6 cards in your activated and resolved after damage calculation. If you need to select
hand at the end of this phase, select and discard cards to the a monster for the Flip effect to target, you cannot target a monster
Graveyard until you only have 6 cards in your hand. that has already been destroyed during damage calculation.
For more info on the Damage Step, please visit:
Resolve card effects which www.yugioh-card.com/en/gameplay/damage_step/
activate in this phase
Actions in this Phase Discard if you have more than
6 cards in hand
Possible Other Actions Activate Trap Cards and Quick-Play
in this Phase Spell Cards
40 41
 DETERMINING DAMAGE When You Attack a Defense Position Monster
You calculate battle damage based on the battle position of the
monster you are attacking. If you attack an Attack Position monster,
compare ATK vs. ATK. If you attack a Defense Position monster,
ATK of Attacking
Monster VS. DEF of Opponent’s
Monster
compare your monster’s ATK vs. the attacked monster’s DEF.
When your attacking monster’s ATK is higher than the DEF of
When You Attack an Attack Position Monster the opponent’s monster, the attacking monster destroys the

WIN
opponent’s monster and sends it to the Graveyard.
ATK of Attacking
Monster VS. ATK of Opponent’s
Monster
Neither player takes any battle damage.

When your attacking monster’s ATK is higher than the ATK of When your attacking monster’s ATK is equal to the DEF of the
the opponent’s monster, the attacking monster destroys the opponent’s monster, neither monster is destroyed.

TIE
opponent’s monster and sends it to the Graveyard. Neither player takes any battle damage.
WIN

The amount that your attacking monster’s ATK exceeds the

ATK of your opponent’s monster is subtracted from your
opponent’s LP as battle damage.
When your attacking monster’s ATK is lower than the DEF of
the opponent’s monster, neither monster is destroyed.

Battles and Chains

Battles and Chains

When your attacking monster’s ATK is equal to the ATK of the The amount that the opponent’s monster’s DEF exceeds the

LOSE
opponent’s monster, the result is considered a tie, and both ATK of your attacking monster is subtracted from your LP as
TIE

monsters are destroyed. battle damage.

Neither player takes any battle damage.

When your attacking monster’s ATK is lower than the ATK of If Your Opponent Has No Monsters
the opponent’s monster, the attacking monster is destroyed If there are no monsters on your opponent’s side of the field, you
LOSE

and sent to the Graveyard. can attack directly. The full amount of your attacking monster’s ATK
The amount that the opponent’s monster’s ATK exceeds the is subtracted from the opponent’s LP as battle damage.
ATK of your attacking monster is subtracted from your LP as
battle damage.
42 43
 Chains and Spell Speed Spell Speeds
Spell, Trap, and Effect Monster effects have different Spell Speeds.
WHAT IS A CHAIN? There are Spell Speeds from 1 to 3. You can only respond with an
effect if it is Spell Speed 2 or higher, and has an equal or greater Spell
Chains are a way to order the resolution of multiple card effects. Speed than the effect on the Chain Link before it.
They are used when the effects of more than 1 card are activated Spell Speed 1
at once (see page 46), or when a player wants to use an effect after
a card has been played, but BEFORE that card has an effect on the Spells (Normal, Equip, Continuous, Field, Ritual),
game. Effect Monster’s effects (Ignition, Trigger, and Flip)
If a card’s effect is activated, the opponent is always given a chance This is the slowest of all Spell Speeds. These cards cannot be
to respond with a card effect of their own, creating a Chain. If your activated in response to any other effects. Typically, these effects
opponent responds with an effect, then you can choose to respond cannot be Chain Link 2 or higher, unless multiple Spell Speed 1
and add another effect to the Chain. If your opponent does not effects are activated simultaneously.
respond, you may activate a second effect and create a Chain to
your own card’s activation. Both players continue to add effects to Spell Speed 2
the Chain until they both wish to add nothing else, then you resolve
the outcome in reverse order – starting with the last card that was Traps (Normal, Continuous), Quick-Play Spells,
activated. Effect Monster’s Quick Effects
You must always be careful not to resolve the effects of your cards
These cards can be used to respond to a Spell Speed 1 or 2 effect, and
before asking your opponent if they wish to make a Chain.
can typically be activated during any phase.

Battles and Chains

Battles and Chains

SPELL SPEED
Every type of card effect has a Spell Speed between 1 and 3. If you Spell Speed 3
want to respond to a card effect in a Chain, you have to use an effect
with Spell Speed 2 or higher, and it cannot have a lower Spell Speed Counter Trap
than the effect you are responding to. Please see page 41 for an
introduction to each type of card’s Spell Speed. This is the fastest of all Spell Speeds and can be used to respond to
a card of any Spell Speed. Only another Spell Speed 3 card may be
used to respond to these cards.

44 45
 How a Chain Works EXAMPLE OF A CHAIN
Player A plays “Heavy Storm” and Player B responds by activating

Order of resolution
[Chain Complete] their Set “Threatening Roar.” Then, Player A responds to that by
activating “Seven Tools of the Bandit.”
In this case, Chain Links are stacked up as seen below.
[Chain Link 4]
Spell Speed 2 or 3 card used
against Chain Link 3 Chain Link “Seven Tools of the Bandit” Spell Speed 3
3 Negates the effect of “Threatening Roar”

[Chain Link 3]
Spell Speed 2 or 3 card used Chain Link “Threatening Roar” Spell Speed 2
against Chain Link 2 2 Prevents the opponent from declaring attacks this turn.

[Chain Link 2] Chain Link “Heavy Storm”

Order of activation

Spell Speed 1
Spell Speed 2 or 3 card used
against Chain Link 1
1 Destroys all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.

Battles and Chains

Battles and Chains

[Chain Link 1] ”Seven Tools of the Bandit” (Chain Link 3) is resolved first and
Spell Speed 1 or 2 card that’s negates the activation of “Threatening Roar.”
used “Threatening Roar” (Chain Link 2) would then be resolved, but the
effect of “Seven Tools of the Bandit” stops its activation. The turn
As shown in the diagram above, the first effect activated is Chain player will still be able to declare attacks.
Link 1. The next effect is Chain Link 2, and so on. Every time a new Then the effect of “Heavy Storm” (Chain Link 1) is resolved
Chain Link is made, they are stacked up in the order that the cards successfully, destroying all Spell and Trap Cards on the field,
are activated. Once the Chain is completed, the outcome is resolved allowing the turn player to attack without interference from Spell
starting with the most recent card to be activated at the top of the or Trap Cards.
Chain and proceeding down to Chain Link 1.
46 47
 TURN PLAYER’S PRIORITY 5 Other Rules
The turn player always starts with Priority, or the choice to Forbidden & Limited Cards
activate a card first, in each phase or step of their turn. As long as
the turn player has Priority, the opponent cannot activate cards Normally, your Deck (including Extra Deck and Side Deck) can
or effects, except for effects that activate automatically, like contain up to 3 copies of a card that has the same name. However,
Trigger or Flip effects. certain cards have specific quantity restrictions that further limit the
The turn player can either: number that can be included in a Deck.
There are 3 types of restrictions: Limited cards are restricted to
• Use Priority to play a card or activate an effect OR 1 copy in a Deck, while Semi-Limited cards are restricted to 2 copies
• Pass Priority to the opponent so they can activate an effect. in a Deck. Forbidden cards are not allowed to be included at all.
The list of Forbidden and Limited cards is updated regularly and is
posted on the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Official Website.
A player must pass Priority to the opponent when moving on to
the next phase or step. Strictly speaking, you would always declare This list is applied to official tournaments so please check it before
that you’re passing Priority before the end of every phase and participating.
step, and ask your opponent if they wish to play a card. However, Official Website: www.yugioh-card.com
for ease of play, announcing the end of your phases or steps
implies giving up Priority. Therefore, when announcing the end of Monster Tokens
a phase, your opponent can just say “Before the end of your phase, Monster Tokens are monsters that appear on the field as the result
I activate this card” and use a card. of a card’s effect. They are not included in the Deck, and cannot be
Battles and Chains

sent anywhere other than the field, such as the hand or Graveyard.
• The turn player starts with Priority to activate a card or effect When a Token is destroyed or returned to the hand or Deck, they are
first. simply removed from the field instead.
• After a card’s activation, and at the end of each phase or step, You can use official Token cards or use coins,
Priority passes to the opponent. card sleeves, or any similar marker (as long
as it can indicate Attack Position or Defense
Position) as Monster Tokens and play them in
Monster Zones. Each Monster Token takes up 1

Other Rules
of your 5 Monster Zones. Their battle position
is always either face-up Attack Position or face-
up Defense Position. Tokens cannot be used as
an Xyz Material. Tokens on the field are treated
as Normal Monsters.
48 49
  Public Knowledge  Counters
The number of cards in a player’s hand and Decks, the cards in their You may need to place these on cards for some card effects. You
Graveyards, and each player’s current LP are all public knowledge cannot place counters unless a card effect allows it. Cards may have
and both players can verify these things at any time. If asked, you effects that change with the number of counters on them, or require
must answer these things to your opponent truthfully. You are you to remove counters as a cost. Some counters have specific
allowed to pick up and verify the cards in your opponent’s Graveyard names, such as “Spell Counter” or “Clock Counter.” Other than their
but you must ask their permission first. Also, you may not change the names, each individual counter itself does not have any effects.
order of the cards when verifying their Graveyard.
 Actions which cannot be Chained to
 If both players conduct actions simultaneously You can only create a Chain by responding to the activation of a card
For cases like “Each player targets 1 monster,” where both players or effect. Summoning a monster, Tributing, changing a monster’s
resolve an effect simultaneously, the turn player resolves the effect battle position and paying costs are not effect activations and
first. In this example, after the turn player makes their selection, the therefore you cannot respond to those actions using a Chain.
other player makes theirs.
 Xyz Materials
 When multiple cards are activated simultaneously Monsters that are used to Xyz Summon are called “Xyz Materials”,
If effects of Spell Speed 1 cards (like Trigger Effects) are activated at and are placed underneath the Xyz Monster, to show that they are
the same time, they will be resolved in a special Chain. This Chain is attached to it. Monsters that have become Xyz Materials are not
made starting with the turn player’s mandatory effects. If there is only treated as cards on the field. When an Xyz Monster leaves the field,
1 effect, that will be Chain Link 1. If there are 2 or more effects, the turn all of the Xyz Materials attached to it are sent to the Graveyard. If
player builds the Chain starting with their mandatory effects, in any an Xyz Monster is flipped face-down, or becomes controlled by the
order. Then the opponent continues the Chain with their mandatory opponent, the Xyz Materials are not sent to the Graveyard. They
effects in any order. Afterwards, the turn player adds their optional remain attached to the Xyz Monster.
effects in any order, and finally the opponent adds their optional
effects in any order.  Leaves the Field
 0 ATK monsters Some monsters have effects that activate when they “leave the field”.
Monsters with 0 ATK cannot destroy anything by battle. If two Attack For example, these effects activate when the monster is sent to
Position monsters with 0 ATK battle each other, neither monster is the Graveyard, or is banished, or is returned to the hand or Extra
destroyed. Deck. When a monster on the field is shuffled into the Main Deck, or
becomes an Xyz Material, it is no longer a card on the field, however

Other Rules
Other Rules

 Rules vs. Card Effects its effects that activate when it “leaves the field” will not activate.
If there is a discrepancy between the basic rules and a card’s effect, the
card effect takes precedence. For example, a monster can only attack
once per turn, but with a card effect, it is possible to attack twice.
50 51
 Glossary l Control / Possess
Cards you “control” are the cards in your Monster Zone, Spell & Trap Zone,
l Attack Directly Field Zone, and Pendulum Zone. Cards in your “possession” include all cards
Attacking directly means that a monster attacks a player instead of you control, plus the cards in your hand, Deck, Extra Deck, Graveyard, your
attacking a monster. In this case, the damage to the player will be equal banished cards, cards in the middle of being Summoned to your side of the
to the monster’s ATK. Some monsters have an effect that allows them to field, and Xyz Materials attached to monsters you control. If a player takes
attack directly even if the opponent controls a monster. control of a card from their opponent, move it to the new controller’s side
l Banished Cards (Previously Remove from Play) of the field. If sent to the Graveyard, or returned to the hand or Deck, it
Although a card that has been used is normally sent to the Graveyard, is always returned to the Graveyard / hand / Deck of the original owner.
a card which is banished is separated from the field instead. You must l Destroy
return your banished cards so you can use them for the next Duel. A card is destroyed when it is sent to the Graveyard due to battle
l Battle / Battled between monsters or by an effect that destroys a card. A card that
A monster “battles” (and is “battling”) starting from when it attacks or is returned from the field to the hand or Deck, or, that is sent to
is attacked. This includes both monsters attacking other monsters, and the Graveyard as a cost or Tribute, is NOT considered “destroyed.”
monsters attacking a player’s Life Points directly. When a card requires a l Discard
monster to have “battled” (past tense), the attack had to have reached the Discard means to send a card from your hand to the Graveyard.
damage calculation portion of the Damage Step in order for the monster to This can happen because of a card effect or by adjusting the
have “battled”. If the attack stops before damage calculation, the monster number of cards in your hand during the End Phase.
did not “battle”. (Note that an attack was still declared, however, so in l Effects of Cards
most cases the attacking monster cannot declare another attack.
The effect of a card is the special ability written on it, like the effect
l Battle Damage of a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster. Costs that are needed to activate
Battle damage is damage inflicted to a player by an attacking monster, an ability are not part of the effect. The conditions that describe
or by a battle between two monsters. This is different from damage from how to play a “Special Summon Monster” are also not an effect.
the effect of an Effect Monster, Spell Card or Trap Card.
l Equip Cards
l Cards on the Field In addition to Equip Spell Cards, sometimes Trap Cards or Monster Cards
When “cards on the field” is written in card text, it means all the cards on can become equipped to a monster. Equipped Traps remain Trap Cards, but
the Game Mat other than the Graveyard, Deck, and Extra Deck. equipped monsters are considered to be Equip Spells. The term “Equip Card”
l Colon (:) and Semi-colon (;) includes all 3 kinds (standard Equip Spells, equipped Traps, and monsters
Card effects are sometimes separated with a colon (:) and/or semi-colon (;). equipped to other monsters).If a Monster Card is equipped to another

Other Rules
Other Rules

Text before the colon gives information on conditions to activate the effect, monster, it remains equipped to that monster and cannot be moved to a
and timing on when it happens. Text before a semi-colon is what you do different target, even by card effects that would normally be able to do so.
when the effect is activated. Text at the end of a sentence, after all colons EXCEPTION: Union monsters equipped by their own effects can be moved
and semi-colons, is what you do at resolution of the effect. by appropriate card effects.
52 53
 l Equipped Monster l Reveal
A monster that is equipped with an Equip Card is an “equipped monster.” When an effect says to reveal a card, you show it to both players. You
When this monster is destroyed or flipped face-down, the equipped may have to reveal a face-down card, a card from your hand, or from the
card loses its target, and is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. top of your Deck. Revealing a card does not activate the card or its Flip
effect. Normally, revealed cards are returned to their original position
l Excavate after being looked at by both players.
When a card says to “excavate” cards from your Deck, you reveal those l Search your Deck
cards to both players. Then, before you do anything else, apply the
instructions from the card effect that excavated them. Cards that are Whenever an effect instructs you to add a card from your Deck to your
being excavated are still treated as being in the Deck until sent elsewhere hand, or to Special Summon a monster from your Deck, you can pick
by the card instructions. up your Deck and search through it for the appropriate card. You must
shuffle your Deck after any time you search it and let your opponent
l Original ATK (or DEF) shuffle or cut. You cannot activate an effect to search your Deck for a
The Original ATK (or DEF) is the number of ATK (or DEF) points printed on card if there are no cards that meet the requirements in your Deck.
the Monster Card. This does not include an increase from an Equip Spell l Send to the Graveyard
Card or other card effect. A card can be sent to the Graveyard in various ways. Destroying a card,
l Pay a Cost discarding, and Tributing a monster are all actions that send a card to
To pay a cost is an action required by a player in order to activate a card, the Graveyard, and will normally activate “When this card is sent to the
an effect, or to Summon a monster. Tributing to Tribute Summon a Level Graveyard…” Trigger Effects.
5 monster is an example of a cost. Other common costs are discarding, EXCEPTION: When a banished card is moved to the Graveyard, it is not
paying LP, or banishing cards. You have to pay any costs before you considered to be “sent to the Graveyard”.
declare the activation of the card. Even if the activation of the card is l Set
negated, you cannot get a refund of the cost that you have paid. Playing a card face-down is called a Set. For Monster Cards, playing it in
l Piercing Battle Damage face-down Defense Position is called a Set. Any card that is face-down
on the field is a Set card.
Some monsters can inflict piercing battle damage when they attack a
Defense Position monster. This means that you inflict damage to your l Shuffle
opponent’s LP equal to the difference between the attacking monster’s There is no rule for how to shuffle, but while shuffling you cannot look at
ATK and the defending monster’s DEF. the cards you are shuffling, or arrange the cards and then shuffle them.
l Random l Tribute

Other Rules
Other Rules

When a card effect says to choose a card randomly, there is no official Tributing is sending a monster you control to the Graveyard. You can
way of doing so, it is fine as long as neither player has a way of knowing Tribute a face-up or face-down monster, unless otherwise specified.
which card is being chosen. Tributing a monster is one possible cost for Summoning a monster or
activating an effect. A monster sent to the Graveyard by Tributing is not
treated as “destroyed.”
54 55
 For further information on
the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME,
please visit
www.yugioh-card.com
To watch the Link Summoning
Tutorial, visit
www.yugioh-card.com/en/linksummon

For general questions, Email us at

us-cardsupport@konami.com
For rules questions only,
you can Email us at
us-ygorules@konami.com
For a complete Rulebook, visit
www.yugioh-card.com/en/rulebook
Set content subject to change. No specific card rarity is guaranteed to exist within an individual
pack, box or case unless otherwise indicated. Manufactured and distributed by Konami Digital
Entertainment, Inc. 2381 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, El Segundo, CA 90245, USA. Made in the USA.
For questions please email us at: us-cardsupport@konami.com