Teach Anyone How To Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

I've watched a lot of people try to teach Yu-Gi-Oh in the last few years, and it almost always goes the same way. See if any of this sounds familiar.

They take out two decks. Usually whatever they're playing in tournaments. Their learner's eager to see them
They explain the basics of the game: both players start with 8000 Life Points, and the game ends when one player runs out. You summon monsters to battle, and when your opponent's out of monsters you can attack their life points. The learner nods. All of this makes sense
Spell and trap cards help you summon monsters, win battles, control the field and destroy your opponent's cards. More nodding
The teacher shows their friend a playmat, they put the decks on it, they point out the graveyard, monster zones, spell and trap zones, and so on. All is well
They take them through the phases of the turn, describing what happens where. It's a little shaky, but it's still holding together.
Then they bring out the Extra Deck
"This is a Fusion Monster, you summon it by fusing other monsters." The newbie nods
"This is an Xyz Monster, you summon it by stacking two monsters on top of eachother." Shakier nods
"This is a Synchro Monster, you summon this by sending a regular monster and a Tuner Monster to the graveyard." The learner's eyes tend to get a glassy look right around this part
"Let me get you a Tuner to look at." The learner's staring at some birds outside
"They say 'Tuner,' right here, see?" The birds tweet. Their song sounds like freedom
"These blue ones are called Link Monsters, you summon them by…"

And it's over. Just like that. This poor unfortunate soul who only wanted to learn a children's card game to keep up with their friends is now entirely zoned out, and halfway through the first game they go to the washroom and never come back.

The birds fly away. The teacher has never felt so alone.

Trying to teach someone to play Yu-Gi-Oh with Advanced Format decks is probably the best way to get someone to hate Yu-Gi-Oh. Every time I see this play out, it doesn't even get to what the symbols mean on Continuous cards, or Quick-Plays, or Counter Traps. There are no chains to explain because the first game never lasts long enough for anyone to respond to anything. The Extra Monster Zone sits unused, empty and sad. The entire thing doesn't just fail, it fails like clockwork.

Look, let's be real: regular Yu-Gi-Oh's too complicated to teach to anyone but the most determined, most hardcore TCG players. And it's ridiculous that people try, because it only takes about 15 minutes to teach someone the game with Speed Duel Starters instead.

Bond Between Teacher And Student

Speed Duel Starters Are Made For Teaching Yu-Gi-Oh

…And they're really, really good for it! I grew up a console gamer, but nowadays I spend a lot of time introducing people to card games and board games. So when I saw that we needed an article on how to teach Yu-Gi-Oh, I came into it with a strong instincts to use my regular routine for teaching other games.

Start by expressing the goal of the game, and add in a hook describing what the game's "about" to get the learner interested
Give a basic rundown of the cards, show one to the learner, and take them through it in brief, piece by piece so they know what they're doing when they have a whole hand of them
List the phases of the turn and loosely describe what each player can do in those phases
Talk about how wins are normally achieved, and how games normally go, to provide context for all the info you just gave them

Each of these steps - the intro, a guided look at game elements, the flow of a turn, and added context - apply to most tabletop games, and would normally involve a lot of smaller details and sub-steps. Some people can handle all of that. But for most people, you pick and choose and you focus on the important stuff, as you try to figure out what your learner's retention is like.

But then I remembered Speed Duel Starters exist, and that while it's not really talked about, they actually have one of the single best introductions to Yu-Gi-Oh ever, in every single box. The "Standard Rules For Speed Dueling" on the back of each starter playmat are actually an awesome breakdown of Yu-Gi-Oh at its core, and it's really easy to just give them to someone you're teaching and let them check it out. Here's what they look like.

If someone's not a gamer, it's best to cut them off and give them a breather once the bullet points run out. You can explain the rest yourself, just following the written guide. But for experienced game fans you can just give them this, and they're going to retain most of it, give or take the individual symbols on cards in that fourth paragraph. There are further rules describing attacking and defending, but honestly, that stuff's intuitive enough that you can describe it to them as you go in your very first game.

If you want to teach someone Yu-Gi-Oh, your goal isn't to give them all the details they'd need to run off and play competitively. You want them to get a handle on the game and how it works, and you want them to have a good experience that makes them want to come back. Speed Duels cut out a ton of complexity that scares people away from the game, and Speed Duel Starters are, for the most part, an incredibly fast way to get a new player onboarded and confident.

If you can introduce the concept of battling monsters duking it out to defend your Life Points and demolish your opponents', then get your friend, family member, or whomever to read the Standard Rules For Speed Dueling, you're officially on your way to having someone new to play Yu-Gi-Oh with and you're moments away from their first games.

Stuff That Doesn't Matter

In a minute or two we'll talk about some basic prep to make the learning experience a smooth one, and then I'm going to take you through the first five Speed Duel Starter Decks to talk about the ups and downs of each as learning tools. Some of them are awesome for a player's first game. Some of them have major issues, which you'll want to know about in advance. But for now, I want to give a quick list of stuff you DON'T need to teach, at least not until it comes up in your new player's first few games.

Chains, and responding to effects. Unless they've played games with similar mechanics, chains are tough for new players. We joke about it, but think about it as a total layman with no context outside of how life works: if the Death Star's trying to blow up Endor, and you blow up the Death Star before it can fire, Endor's fine right?

… so then how come Mystical Space Typhoon doesn't negate, huh? (Don't @ me. I beg you.)

A lot of the starters have very few effects that can create chains anyways, so it's not something you need to introduce right off the bat. Play some games first, focus on responding to attacks, then worry about responding to effects and making chains.

Categories of spell and trap cards . Like I said, the icons that define how spells and traps work are in the Standard Rules. But those little circles we live and breathe mean nothing to a new player, and they're a little tricky to get at first. Let your new player navigate the card text. When they say something like, "It sounds like this one stays on the field," they're getting it, and you can point out the icon.

The hand limit. This doesn't usually matter in the Advanced Format. It definitely doesn't matter in Speed Duels.

What happens when two monsters with 0 ATK battle . What are all the timings when you can use stat modifiers during battle? And what are the finer details of the Damage Step? Don't bother. They'll find those birds I mentioned earlier. Your friend will never want to play Yu-Gi-Oh again. Deal with this stuff once they're hooked and into it.

There are more things players don't need to know to get started and have a good time. Play it by ear. A good rule of thumb is that if it's not essential, you don't need to bring up proactively.

Pre-Preparation of Rites

How To Prepare

You can get by just cracking open a starter set, breaking the decks out of the plastic wrap, and getting right into it. But since you're already here and reading this article, here are a few zero-effort things you can do to max out the chance your learner will… like, learn stuff. And not hate it.

Get familiar with the decks. In a second I'll give you a rundown of each starter deck by deck, but it really helps to look at each card - either here on TCGplayer by clicking through on the deck lists below, or doing it the old fashioned way by thumbing through cardboard squares.

Don't know the text of Spider Egg? Don't worry, nobody knows that, at least not under normal circumstances. But it's going to help if you know it, when your learner's trying to figure it out for themselves.

Arrange your decks the way you want them. For the first two starters that just means making sure the decks are separated - easy, since the set codes have 'A', 'B', and 'C' before the card number - and you've got the right skill card ready to go. For the two-character starters that are more recent, it means stripping the 30 cards provided down to the recommended 20-card build. Save yourself time, do this in advance.

Make sure you have pen and paper, and if needed, token cards. You don't want your dueling protégé to feel like they don't know what's going on, just because they don't have a notepad or proper tokens.

More than that, remember this one thing: you're not playing to beat your opponent as hard as possible. In fact, you're not even playing to win. Other than just straight being a horrible teacher, the best way to make someone feels defeated when they learn a new game, is to defeat them at that game. Sure, yes, everyone needs to be able to lose with grace, but in this particular case that means you need to do that, as the person with all the knowledge about the game system.

You want your learner to have a good time, to feel confident, and to want to play Yu-Gi-Oh again. If they have a bad time and believe they'll suck forever, they'll stop before they even try. Let them have those W's, at least until they get the hang of it.

So let's talk about each of these starters.

Duelists Of Tomorrow Starters

The Duelists of Tomorrow features three Starter Decks, for Joey, Mai, and Kaiba. It was released alongside the second 3-deck starter set, Destiny Masters, and I really like both decks for how they approach the teaching experience.

The two early starter sets really placed an emphasis on simplicity, offering Main Deck cards that are pretty easy for a new player to understand, and giving each character three different skill cards that can raise the complexity as your learner gets the hang of everything. There aren't a lot of reactive cards in these decks, so you can keep the first few games clean and quick. Then you can ramp stuff up a bit and introduce some different game elements.

Take a look at the Kaiba deck and you'll see what I mean.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Duelists of Tomorrow: Kaiba's Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks

'Duelists of Tomorrow: Kaiba's Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!

Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks

Event:

Rank:

Speed Duel

Market Price: $7.10

Cards

Lord of D.

Market Price: $0.42

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183652_200w.jpg

Dragon-Type monsters on the field cannot be targeted by card effects.

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Twin-Headed Behemoth

Market Price: $0.13

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183653_200w.jpg

During the End Phase, if this card was destroyed on the field and sent to the Graveyard this turn: Special Summon it from the Graveyard, and make its ATK and DEF 1000. You can only use the effect of "Twin-Headed Behemoth" once per Duel.

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Interdimensional Matter Transporter

Market Price: $0.17

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183662_200w.jpg

Target 1 face-up monster you control; banish that target until the End Phase.

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Dragon's Rebirth

Market Price: $0.31

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183663_200w.jpg

Target 1 face-up Dragon-Type monster you control; banish that target and Special Summon 1 Dragon-Type monster from your hand or Graveyard.

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Blue-Eyes White Dragon

Market Price: $1.04

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/227984_200w.jpg

This promotional card is printed in Japanese.

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Luster Dragon #2

Market Price: $0.15

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183651_200w.jpg

A very beautiful dragon covered with sapphire. It does not like fights, but has incredibly high attack power.

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Stamping Destruction

Market Price: $0.35

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183658_200w.jpg

Activate only if you control a face-up Dragon-Type monster. Select 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field, destroy it and inflict 500 damage to its controller.

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Trap Jammer

Market Price: $0.85

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183664_200w.jpg

You can only activate this card when your opponent activates a Trap Card during the Battle Phase. Negate the activation of the Trap Card and destroy it.

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Burst Stream of Destruction

Market Price: $0.13

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183660_200w.jpg

You can only activate this card when there is a face-up Blue-Eyes White Dragon on your side of the field. Destroy all monsters on your opponent''s side of the field. Blue-Eyes White Dragon cannot attack during the turn you activate this card.

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Ryu-Kishin Powered

Market Price: $0.11

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A gargoyle enhanced by the powers of darkness. Very sharp talons make it a worthy opponent.

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Mountain

Market Price: $0.20

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183661_200w.jpg

All Dragon, Winged Beast, and Thunder monsters on the field gain 200 ATK/DEF.

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Tyrant Dragon

Market Price: $0.68

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183654_200w.jpg

During your Battle Phase, if your opponent controls a monster after this card's first attack, this card can make a second attack. Negate any Trap effects that target this card, and if you do, destroy that Trap Card. This card cannot be Special Summoned from the GY, unless you Tribute 1 Dragon-Type monster.

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Spirit Ryu

Market Price: $0.12

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You can only activate this effect during your Battle Step, if this card battles during your turn. Discard 1 Dragon-Type monster from your hand to the GY to increase the ATK and DEF of this card by 1000 points until the End Step.

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Battle Ox

Market Price: $0.15

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A monster with tremendous power, it destroys enemies with a swing of its axe.

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Kaibaman

Market Price: $0.72

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183656_200w.jpg

You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" from your hand.

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The Flute of Summoning Dragon

Market Price: $0.62

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Special Summon up to 2 Dragon-Type monsters from your hand. "Lord of D." must be on the field to activate and to resolve this effect.

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Cost Down

Market Price: $0.27

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Discard 1 card; for the rest of this turn, reduce the Levels of all monsters in your hand by 2 (even after they are Summoned).

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This deck's pretty straightforward; there are lots of Normal Monsters, including some bigger ones that give you a chance to demonstrate how tributing works, along with some simple effect monsters that are easy to understand. The spell and trap cards are pretty basic, with many of them featuring simple combos. Despite the high ceiling of cards like The Flute of Summoning Dragon, your games will probably be over before you can put together big plays, making this the perfect deck for you to run when you want your learner to have the edge.

The Peak Performance skill card's a good basic skill that's not too strong and not overly-intrusive, so I like to start with that one. You can switch to Beatdown! if your learner's getting tripped up in the constant ATK modifiers, and once they have a few games under their belt you can switch to Dragon Caller and see if you can show off a cool combo that maybe steals a game. Again, you don't want to crush your learner out of the gates, but once they've got a few wins you don't need to be a total doormat.

Mai's deck is the best of the three, and it's definitely what you want your learner playing against you.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Duelists of Tomorrow: Mai's Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks

'Duelists of Tomorrow: Mai's Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!

Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks

Event:

Rank:

Speed Duel

Market Price: $14.88

Cards

Amazoness Heirloom

Market Price: $4.09

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183700_200w.jpg

Equip only to an "Amazoness" monster. Once per turn, that monster cannot be destroyed by battle. When the equipped monster attacks, after damage calculation, destroy the attack target.

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Amazoness Swords Woman

Market Price: $2.71

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183692_200w.jpg

The opponent takes all Battle Damage to this card's controller that he/she would have taken from a battle involving this card.

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Elegant Egotist

Market Price: $0.12

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183696_200w.jpg

If "Harpie Lady" is on the field: Special Summon 1 "Harpie Lady" or "Harpie Lady Sistesr" from your hand or Deck.

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Sonic Shooter

Market Price: $0.10

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183695_200w.jpg

If there are no cards in your opponent's Spell & Trap Card Zones, this card can attack your opponent's Life Points directly. When it does, any Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent's Life Points becomes the original ATK of this card.

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Amazoness Archers

Market Price: $0.78

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You can only activate this card when your opponent declares an attack and if there is a monster(s) on your side of the field that includes "Amazoness" in its card name, or is named "Amazon Archer". All monsters on your opponent's side of the field are cha

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Shadow of Eyes

Market Price: $0.13

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183703_200w.jpg

When a monster(s) is Set on your opponent's side of the field: Target 1 of those Set monsters; change that Set monster to face-up Attack Position. (Flip Effects are not activated.)

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Amazoness Sage

Market Price: $0.75

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183693_200w.jpg

At the end of the Damage Step, if this card attacked and is still on the field: Target 1 Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls; destroy that target.

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Harpie Lady 3

Market Price: $0.46

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183689_200w.jpg

This card's name is treated as "Harpie Lady". Your opponent's monster that battles with this card cannot declare an attack for your opponent's next 2 turns.

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Harpie Lady 2

Market Price: $0.55

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183688_200w.jpg

(This card's name is always treated as "Harpie Lady".)

Negate the effects of Flip monsters this card destroys by battle.

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Windstorm of Etaqua

Market Price: $1.24

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183702_200w.jpg

Change the battle positions of all face-up monsters on your opponent's side of the field.

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Amazoness Chain Master

Market Price: $0.90

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183691_200w.jpg

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 1500 Life Points to look at your opponent's hand, select 1 Monster Card in it, and add that card to your hand.

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Harpie Lady 1

Market Price: $0.73

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183687_200w.jpg

(This card's name is always treated as "Harpie Lady".) // All WIND monsters gain 300 ATK.

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Birdface

Market Price: $0.17

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183694_200w.jpg

When this card is sent to the GY as a result of battle, you can add 1 "Harpie Lady" from your Deck to your hand. Then shuffle your Deck.

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Wild Tornado

Market Price: $0.17

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183768_200w.jpg

Select 1 face-up card in the Spell & Trap Zone; destroy that face-up card, then, its controller can Set 1 Spell or Trap from their hand. If this Set card is destroyed or sent to the GY: Target 1 face-up card on the field; destroy that target.

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Cyber Shield

Market Price: $0.75

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Equip only to "Harpie Lady" or "Harpie Lady Sisters". It gains 500 ATK.

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Triangle Ecstasy Spark

Market Price: $0.11

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183697_200w.jpg

Until the End Phase of this turn, the ATK of all "Harpie Lady Sisters" becomes 2700, your opponent cannot activate any Trap Cards, and the effect of every Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field is negated.

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Harpie Lady Sisters

Market Price: $0.23

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This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by the effect of Elegant Egotist.

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Harpies' Hunting Ground

Market Price: $0.60

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All Winged Beast-Type monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF. When any "Harpie Lady" or "Harpie Lady Sisters" are Normal or Special Summoned: The player who conducted the Summon targets 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field; destroy that target.

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Mai's deck is a bit more complicated since it's all Effect Monsters all the time, one of which can't be Normal Summoned (that's Harpie Lady Sisters). All the Winged Beasts are pretty easy, but be prepared to do a little explaining for Amazoness Chain Master, Amazoness Sage, and Amazoness Swordswoman.

That said, the spell and trap cards don't tend to trip people up, and the only ones you'll usually need to keep an eye on are Amazoness Archers, Tornado Wall, and Windstorm of Etaqua. It's good to point out that Windstorm of Etaqua can stop an attack when it's declared, so consider mentioning it either before your first game, or a game or two in.

If your learner's an experienced gamer, start them off with Tribal Synergy and prepare to get buried under card advantage - it's by far the best skill card in the starter. If you think it might be a little too complicated, let your learner cut their teeth on Aroma Strategy first. I'd avoid Flight of the Harpies, since the activation condition's easy to forget and searching the deck can bog down the game.

Once your learner's thumped you around with Mai a few times, switch over to Joey's deck so you can demonstrate a couple more game mechanics: Fusion Summons and chains.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Duelists of Tomorrow: Joey's Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks

'Duelists of Tomorrow: Joey's Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!

Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks

Event:

Rank:

Speed Duel

Market Price: $16.94

Cards

Skull Dice

Market Price: $1.42

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183681_200w.jpg

Roll 1 six-sided die. The result is multiplied by 100 points and subtracted from the ATK and DEF of all monsters in your opponent's control until the end of your turn. Monsters summoned after this card's activation are excluded.

Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183681/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-duelists-of-tomorrow-skull-dice

Sogen

Market Price: $0.11

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183678_200w.jpg

Increases the ATK and DEF of all Beast-Warrior and Warrior-Type monsters by 200 points.

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Baby Dragon

Market Price: $0.50

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183670_200w.jpg

Much more than just a child, this dragon is gifted with untapped power.

Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183670/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-duelists-of-tomorrow-baby-dragon

Gearfried the Iron Knight

Market Price: $0.44

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183674_200w.jpg

When an Equip Card(s) is equipped to this card: Destroy that Equip Card(s).

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Copycat

Market Price: $1.09

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183673_200w.jpg

When this card is Summoned: Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; this card's ATK and DEF become equal to that monster's original ATK and DEF.

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Kunai with Chain

Market Price: $1.22

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183682_200w.jpg

Activate 1 or both of these effects (simultaneously).

- When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target the attacking monster; change that target to Defense Position.

- Target 1 face-up monster you control; equip this card to that target. It gains 500 ATK.

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Flame Manipulator

Market Price: $0.14

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183667_200w.jpg

This Spellcaster attacks enemies with fire-related spells such as "Sea of Flames" and "Wall of Fire".

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Stray Lambs

Market Price: $0.14

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183676_200w.jpg

Special Summon 2 "Lamb Tokens" (Beast-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) in Defense Position. You cannot Summon other monsters the turn you activate this card (but you can Set).

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Little-Winguard

Market Price: $0.11

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183672_200w.jpg

Once per turn, during your End Phase: You can change the battle position of this card.

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Thousand Dragon

Market Price: $0.73

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183685_200w.jpg

"Time Wizard" + "Baby Dragon"

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Red-Eyes B. Dragon

Market Price: $2.66

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183665_200w.jpg

A ferocious dragon with a deadly attack.

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Alligator's Sword Dragon

Market Price: $0.13

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183686_200w.jpg

"Baby Dragon" + "Alligator's Sword"

This card can attack your opponent directly if the only face-up monsters they control are EARTH, WATER, or FIRE.

Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183686/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-duelists-of-tomorrow-alligators-sword-dragon

Polymerization

Market Price: $0.97

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183675_200w.jpg

Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or your side of the field as Fusion Materials.

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Legendary Sword

Market Price: $0.15

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183677_200w.jpg

A Warrior-Type monster equipped with this card increases its ATK and DEF by 300 points.

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Flame Swordsman

Market Price: $0.38

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183684_200w.jpg

"Flame Manipulator" + "Masaki the Legendary Swordsman"

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Graceful Dice

Market Price: $2.40

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183680_200w.jpg

Roll 1 six-sided die. The result is multiplied by 100 points and added to the ATK and DEF of all monsters you control until the end of your turn. Monsters summoned after this card's activation are excluded.

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Dicephoon

Market Price: $0.68

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183679_200w.jpg

Roll a six-sided die. If the result is 2, 3 or 4, destroy 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field. If it is 5, destroy 2 Spell/Trap Cards on the field. If it is 1 or 6, you take 1000 damage.

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Alligator's Sword

Market Price: $0.20

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183669_200w.jpg

'ey, dis mighty lissard man can swing his sword so fast, dat it's more dan da speed a sound!

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Meteor Dragon

Market Price: $0.75

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/217847_200w.jpg

This dragon appeared from the sky and crashed to the earth.

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Time Wizard

Market Price: $0.61

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183671_200w.jpg

Toss a coin and call Heads or Tails. If you call it right, your opponent's monsters on the field are destroyed. If you call it wrong, your own monsters on the field are destroyed and you lose Life Points equal to half the total ATK of the destroyed monsters. This card can be used only during your own turn, once per turn.

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Red-Eyes Spirit

Market Price: $0.96

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183683_200w.jpg

Target 1 "Red-Eyes" monster in your Graveyard, except "Red-Eyes B. Chick"; Special Summon it.

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Masaki the Legendary Swordsman

Market Price: $0.18

ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183668_200w.jpg

Legendary swordmaster Masaki is a veteran of over 100 battles.

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Fusion Summoning is one of the classic hallmarks of Yu-Gi-Oh, and Joey's deck is all about it. Before you start playing with this deck, show your learner the three Fusion Monsters and Polymerization, and explain how Fusion Summoning works. Then show them the Fusion Material monsters. If your learner's got a gaming background, you can explain Pal-O'Mine-zation! immediately and use it in your first game. If not, give it a game or two and then introduce the skill card. (You can ignore Grit and Last Gamble.)

Joey's deck is great to teach with because it demonstrates Fusion Summoning, and because it's got several spell and trap cards that can react to attacks, or chain to other effects: Graceful Dice, Dicephoon, Skull Dice, Kunai with Chain, and even Red-Eyes Spirit all give you the opportunity to demo the kind of interactive back-and-forth that makes Yu-Gi-Oh so good. The dice cards aren't great in terms of pure power, but they make the game really fun and give you the chance to teach chain mechanics without blowing your learner out of the water.

Once you've played a few games of Mai versus Joey, you might want to let the learner try Joey's deck and go back to playing Kaiba so they get a sense of what those effects are like. Plus, I've found lots of learners really want to try Fusion Summoning, especially if they've watched Yu-Gi-Oh but haven't really played before.

Duelists of Tomorrow offers a clear path to teaching Yu-Gi-Oh, and it's a really smooth process for most learners. The main problem is that the level of gameplay isn't deep; I like to start learners on this starter, then move to one of the more recent ones when they're ready for something with a bit more meat.

But Duelists of Tomorrow is all you can rustle up, that's fine! There are still some cool interactions: my last learner managed to win one of her games by taking my Blue-Eyes White Dragon with Amazoness Chain Master, Tribute Summoning BEWD two turns later and then beating me to death with it for game.

That's the kind of experience that keeps people wanting to play Yu-Gi-Oh.

Destiny Masters Starters

Destiny Masters features three more duelists, Pegasus, Ishizu, and Yugi. It's a good teaching tool too, but the decks are a bit more complicated and a little tougher for less experienced gamers. Pegasus' deck features a Ritual Monster, Relinquished, as well as four different types of Toon monsters that all play by different rules, so you really don't want to bust it out in your first games.

That probably leaves you playing the Yugi deck, since it acts a lot like the Kaiba deck in Duelists of Tomorrow; it's a sort of chonky combo deck that doesn't come together all that often. I'd recommend you start your learner with Ishizu, since that deck features a few complicated monster effects but very high utility, so the odds are stacked in their favor.

That said, there are a few questions there you'll want to answer before they get asked; I'll tell you about those once we get there. For now let's take a look at Yugi's deck.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Destiny Masters: Yugi's Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Destiny Masters: Yugi's Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $13.25
Cards
Magician's Circle
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183732_200w.jpg
When a Spellcaster-Type monster declares an attack: Each player Special Summons 1 Spellcaster-Type monster with 2000 or less ATK from their Deck in Attack Position.
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The Stern Mystic
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183722_200w.jpg
FLIP: All face-down cards on the field are turned face-up, and then returned to their original positions. No card effects are activated when cards are turned face-up.
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Sage's Stone
Market Price: $2.94
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183726_200w.jpg
If you control a face-up "Dark Magician Girl": Special Summon 1 "Dark Magician" from your hand or Deck.
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Double Coston
Market Price: $1.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183723_200w.jpg
This card can be treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a DARK monster.
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Dark Magic Attack
Market Price: $1.60
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183727_200w.jpg
You can only activate this card while there is a face-up Dark Magician on your side of the field. Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on your opponent''s side of the field.
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Lightforce Sword
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183731_200w.jpg
Select 1 random card from your opponent's hand and remove it from play face-down. During your opponent's 4th Standby Phase, return that card to their hand.
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Legion the Fiend Jester
Market Price: $0.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183721_200w.jpg
During your Main Phase, you can Tribute Summon 1 Spellcaster-Type monster in face-up Attack Position, in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.) If this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Spellcaster-Type Normal Monster from your Deck or GY to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Legion the Fiend Jester" once per turn.
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Dark Magician Girl
Market Price: $0.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183720_200w.jpg
Gains 300 ATK for every "Dark Magician" or "Magician of Black Chaos" in the GY.

This promotional card is printed in Japanese.
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Feral Imp
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183718_200w.jpg
A playful little fiend that lurks in the dark, waiting to attack an unwary enemy.
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Dark Magician
Market Price: $0.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213948_200w.jpg
This promotional card is printed in Japanese.
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Riryoku
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183728_200w.jpg
Target 2 face-up monsters on the field; halve the ATK of 1 monster, and if you do, add that lost ATK to the other monster. These effects last until the End Phase.
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Magic Jammer
Market Price: $0.68
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183733_200w.jpg
When a Spell Card is activated: Discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it.
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Blue Dragon Summoner
Market Price: $1.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183724_200w.jpg
If this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Dragon, Warrior, or Spellcaster-Type Normal Monster from your Deck to your hand.
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Rogue Doll
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183719_200w.jpg
A deadly doll gifted with mystical power, it is particularly powerful when attacking against dark forces.
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Tribute Doll
Market Price: $0.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183729_200w.jpg
Tribute 1 monster; Special Summon 1 Level 7 monster from your hand that can be Normal Summoned or Normal Set. It cannot attack this turn.
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Seven Tools of the Bandit
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183734_200w.jpg
Pay 1000 Life Points. Negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.
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Thousand Knives
Market Price: $1.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183725_200w.jpg
If you control "Dark Magician": Target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target.
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Wonder Wand
Market Price: $0.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183730_200w.jpg
Equip only to a Spellcaster monster. It gains 500 ATK. If you control the equipped monster and this card: You can send both to the GY; draw 2 cards.
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Just like Kaiba had Peak Performance as a basic, not-very-game-breaking skill card for you to lose with, Power of Dark gives a minor stat bonus and makes a great default as you aim to not win. Destiny Draw and Final Draw are way cooler, but the fact that they require a complete understanding of every card in your deck is one of the reasons you'll play Yugi to start, instead of letting your learner play as Yugi right off the bat.

Yugi's deck plays a lot like Kaiba's, too: you're trying to set up with Dark Magician and/or Dark Magician Girl, and you're handicapped by conditional cards like Dark Magic Attack, Sage's Stone, and Thousand Knives that don't do anything until you've got the right monster on the field.

That said, it's easier to set up with Yugi than it is to set up with Kaiba. Legion the Fiend Jester, Blue Dragon Summoner, Wonder Wand and Magician's Circle all help to search what you need, making this deck a little more consistent. It's also a nice deck to introduce Counter Traps with, featuring the classic Magic Jammer and Seven Tools of the Bandit.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Destiny Masters: Ishizu's Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Destiny Masters: Ishizu's Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $16.23
Cards
Rite of Spirit
Market Price: $0.98
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183750_200w.jpg
Select 1 Monster Card that includes Gravekeeper''s in its card name from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack or Defense Position. This card''s activation and effect is not affected by Necrovalley.
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Blast Held by a Tribute
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183749_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster that was Tribute Summoned declares an attack: Destroy as many face-up Attack Position monsters they control as possible, and if you do, inflict 1000 damage to your opponent.
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Hidden Temples of Necrovalley
Market Price: $0.95
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183747_200w.jpg
Activate only if both a "Gravekeeper's" monster and "Necrovalley" are on the field. Neither player can Special Summon monsters, except "Gravekeeper's" monsters. If either a "Gravekeeper's" monster or "Necrovalley" is not on the field, destroy this card.
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Gravekeeper's Vassal
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183737_200w.jpg
Any battle damage this card inflicts to your opponent is treated as effect damage instead.
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Gravekeeper's Assailant
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183741_200w.jpg
When this card declares an attack while "Necrovalley" is on the field: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change that target's battle position.
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Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183736_200w.jpg
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.
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Gravekeeper's Cannonholder
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183739_200w.jpg
Offer 1 card that includes Gravekeeper''s in its card name on your side of the field as a tribute to inflict 700 points of Direct Damage to your opponent''s Life Points. However, you cannot offer this card or another Gravekeeper''s Cannonholder with this card''s effect. Monsters used for a Tribute Summon or that are offered as Tributes due to other cards'' effects are excluded.
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Gravekeeper's Oracle
Market Price: $2.62
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183744_200w.jpg
You can Tribute 3 monsters or 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster to Tribute Summon (but not Set) this card. When this card is Tribute Summoned: You can activate any of these effects, and resolve in sequence, up to the number of "Gravekeeper's" monsters Tributed for its Summon;
• This card gains ATK equal to the combined Levels that all monsters Tributed for its Tribute Summon had on the field x 100.
• Destroy all Set monsters your opponent controls.
• All monsters your opponent currently controls lose 2000 ATK and DEF.
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Gravekeeper's Chief
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183738_200w.jpg
You can have only control 1 "Gravekeeper's Chief" at a time. Your Graveyard is not affected by "Necrovalley". When you Tribute Summon, you can Special Summon 1 monster that includes "Gravekeeper's" monster from your Graveyard.
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Sebek's Blessing
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183748_200w.jpg
Activate only when a monster you control has attacked your opponent directly. Gain Life Points equal to the Battle Damage that the monster inflicted to your opponent.
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Gravekeeper's Curse
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183735_200w.jpg
When this monster is Summoned, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
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A Cat of Ill Omen
Market Price: $1.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183745_200w.jpg
FLIP: Select 1 Trap Card from your Deck and place it on top of your Deck. If "Necrovalley" is on the field , you can add the selected card to your hand instead.
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The Eye of Truth
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183751_200w.jpg
As long as this card remains face-up on the field, your opponent must show his/her hand. Your opponent increases his/her Life Points by 1000 points at each of his/her Standby Phases if he/she has a Spell Card in his/her hand.
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Gravekeeper's Shaman
Market Price: $1.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183743_200w.jpg
This card gains 200 DEF for each "Gravekeeper's" monster in your Graveyard. Negate all monster effects that activate in the Graveyard, except "Gravekeeper's" monsters. While "Necrovalley" is on the field, your opponent cannot activate Field Spell Cards, also Field Spell Cards on the field cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card effects.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183743/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-destiny-masters-gravekeepers-shaman
Gravekeeper's Stele
Market Price: $0.48
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183746_200w.jpg
Select 2 Gravekeeper's monsters in your Graveyard and add them to your hand. This effect cannot be negated by the effect of Necrovalley.
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Gravekeeper's Recruiter
Market Price: $7.18
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183742_200w.jpg
When this card you control is sent to your Graveyard: Add 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster with 1500 or less DEF from your Deck to your hand.
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Gravekeeper's Priestess
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183740_200w.jpg
While there is no face-up Field Spell Card, the field is treated as "Necrovalley". All "Gravekeeper's" monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/183740/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-destiny-masters-gravekeepers-priestess

While the other decks in the Speed Duel starters are packing 9 or 10 monster cards, Ishizu's got a whopping 14, most of which are easy to understand and easy to play. The variety of simple, useful Effect Monsters like Gravekeeper's Spearholder, Gravekeeper's Cannonholder, Gravekeeper's Chief and Gravekeeper's Recruiter make the deck feel really active and fun, while the Necrovalley-driven cards like Gravekeeper's Assailant add another level that's a little more complicated, but overall pretty easy to understand.

…Except the deck doesn't have Necrovalley. Before you start, consider showing your learner Gravekeeper's Priestess and a couple of the Necrovalley-powered cards so they know what's up. Beyond that, and the sheer wall of text that is Gravekeeper's Oracle, this deck's pretty easy for newbies to pick up and play. If you want, you can even just remove Gravekeeper's Oracle and add it back later.

Unfortunately Ishizu's skill cards are a bit of a stumbling block. Prescience and Millennium Necklace both put your learner in a situation to be looking at cards on top of your deck, which can slow things down. Gravekeeper's Lot has an activation condition that's easy to miss, and could see your learning stuck reading their own cards for minutes on end.

Personally I'd avoid Prescience since it's going to slow down the game every turn, unless it just never works, in which case it's boring which is almost worse. You can consider Gravekeeper's Lot, but the one-time pause of Millennium Necklace comes with no activation condition and only works once, so that's probablly the best option.

Popping cards out of the graveyard with Gravekeeper's Chief, Rite of Spirit and Gravekeeper's Stele is a blast, the deck's aggressive, and most of the cards are playable the majority of the time. Pairing your learner with Ishizu is definitely the way to go for at least the first few games. Just be sure to address the Necrovalley issue.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Destiny Masters: Pegasus' Deck by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Destiny Masters: Pegasus' Deck' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $8.31
Cards
Toon Mermaid
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214028_200w.jpg
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Cannot be Special Summoned unless you control a face-up "Toon World". Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing the same number of monsters needed for a Tribute Summon (normally 0). Cannot attack the turn it is Special Summoned. You must pay 500 LP to declare an attack with this monster. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. This card can attack your opponent directly, unless they control a Toon monster. If they do control one, this card must target a Toon monster for its attacks.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/214028/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-match-of-the-millennium-toon-mermaid
Rogue Doll
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183719_200w.jpg
A deadly doll gifted with mystical power, it is particularly powerful when attacking against dark forces.
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Yami
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183764_200w.jpg
Increases the ATK and DEF of all Fiend and Spellcaster-Type monsters by 200 points. Also decreases the ATK and DEF of all Fairy-Type monsters by 200 points.
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Toon Alligator
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214012_200w.jpg
An alligator monster straight from the cartoons.
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Relinquished
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214047_200w.jpg
You can Ritual Summon this card with "Black Illusion Ritual". Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card (max. 1). This card's ATK/DEF become equal to that equipped monster's. If this card would be destroyed by battle, destroy that equipped monster instead. While equipped with that monster, any battle damage you take from battles involving this card inflicts equal effect damage to your opponent.
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Black Illusion Ritual
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214049_200w.jpg
This card is used to Ritual Summon "Relinquished". You must also Tribute a monster from your hand or field whose Level is 1 or more.
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Toon Rollback
Market Price: $0.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183762_200w.jpg
Target 1 Toon monster you control; it can make a second attack during each Battle Phase this turn.
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Jar of Greed
Market Price: $1.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183767_200w.jpg
Draw 1 card.
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Toon Masked Sorcerer
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183756_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Draw 1 card.
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Toon World
Market Price: $0.38
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214053_200w.jpg
Activate this card by paying 1000 LP.
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Sword of Deep-Seated
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183765_200w.jpg
Increase the ATK and DEF of a monster equipped with this card by 500 points. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, place it on top of your Deck.
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Toon Table of Contents
Market Price: $1.51
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183761_200w.jpg
Add 1 "Toon" card from your Deck to your hand.
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Dark Rabbit
Market Price: $0.38
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183755_200w.jpg
He leaps up, down, and all around! Nobody can lay a hand on this funny bunny.
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Wild Tornado
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183768_200w.jpg
Select 1 face-up card in the Spell & Trap Zone; destroy that face-up card, then, its controller can Set 1 Spell or Trap from their hand. If this Set card is destroyed or sent to the GY: Target 1 face-up card on the field; destroy that target.
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Toon Defense
Market Price: $0.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183766_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack targeting a face-up Level 4 or lower Toon monster you control: You can make the attack a direct attack instead.
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Parrot Dragon
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183754_200w.jpg
A dragon from the cartoons that's more dangerous than it appears to be.
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Toon Summoned Skull
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214026_200w.jpg
(This card is always treated as an "Archfiend" card.)
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 monster, while you control "Toon World". Cannot attack the turn it is Special Summoned. You must pay 500 LP to declare an attack with this monster. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. Can attack your opponent directly, unless they control a Toon monster, in which case this card must target a Toon monster for its attacks.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/214026/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-match-of-the-millennium-toon-summoned-skull

Pegasus' deck is a weird nightmare to try and teach with, and you might want to skip it entirely. His skills are pretty straightforward: Mind Scan and Millennium Eye are both fun twists that don't feel overpowered. It's A Toon World! is a bit trickier; the skill's easy to understand on its own, but it lands you having to explain the deck's different Toon monsters which can be very difficult unless your learner's deeply experienced with game text minutiae.

Even then, it's tough to balance what's enough information and what'll just leave them wondering why you're rambling on describing Toon monsters. And the fact that the Pegasus deck randomly has Relinquished in it, forcing you to explain both Ritual Summons and what in the heck Relinquished does, is a giant pain in the butt.

The rest of the deck's pretty simple once those cards are understood, but yeah, avoid Pegasus like the plague until your learner's really well grounded.

Both of these first two starter sets, Duelists of Tomorrow and Destiny Masters, are almost two years old. More than that, they feature super-recognizable characters! Which is cool, but it means they sold out in a lot of places. They're not cheap on the secondary market, but if you can snag Destiny Masters at retail it's a solid choice. If you don't mind shelling out for Duelists of Tomorrow on secondary, or you get lucky and find one at your local for a good price, snap it up while you've got the chance: it's really awesome for introducing players to the game. When in doubt, ask around! Lots of players bought the original Speed Duel starters and just have them sitting on a shelf, happy to loan it out.

That said, those two starters are nowhere near your only options, and one of my favorites is actually the one that's easiest to find on shelves, or even in the discount bin.

Ultimate Predators Starters

Yes! For as little as seven or eight bucks, you too can own this gem! Ultimate Predators pits two of Yu-Gi-Oh's wimpiest villains in a 1-on-1 slap fight for starter deck supremacy. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood go head to head in a clash of Not-Very-Good Dinosaurs versus Bugs That Mostly Suck, in what I can only assume is a pro-wrestling style "Loser Can't Hang Out In Front Of The Convenience Store Anymore" match, where the defeated duelist has to suffer the indignity of a haircut from Weevil's mom.

…And the kicker? Hold onto your butt, because it's actually really fun.

I don't think it's possible to offer this thing to a new player without them going, "Wait, really? Those guys?" But stick with it, because there are actually good times to be had here; once your learner gets into the swing of things, Ultimate Predators turns into a sort of Yu-Gi-Oh minigame where one deck's trying for a very viable, consistent win condition, while the other is trying to deny them that win con and steal victory. It's literally Who's The Beatdown in action.

Before you get there it makes a great learning tool too, thanks to the focus on utility and some solid Skill Cards. Ultimate Predators is a little complicated at times, but it stands on its own really well, and the learning curve's especially good if you can go from Duelists of Tomorrow to establish the basics and then go straight into this.

Of note: the remaining Speed Duel Starters have a different format from Duelists of Tomorrow and Destiny Masters. Instead of three characters with 20-card decks, and three different skill cards each, the last three start sets have featured two duelists with 30 cards for their Main Decks and two skill cards. Then there are two 20-card builds for each character, helping create a Main Deck that's better for each skill. You'll find the deck lists for each build on the back of the playmat included with each starter, but you can also just find them here in this article for a quick reference.

Let's break them down deck by deck, starting with the first deck I'd recommend for your learner.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Ultimate Predators: Rex's Dinosaur Kingdom by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Ultimate Predators: Rex's Dinosaur Kingdom' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $5.39
Cards
Tomozaurus
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196243_200w.jpg
Small but vicious, this monster even attacks its own kind.
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Hunting Instinct
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196263_200w.jpg
When a monster(s) is Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field: Special Summon 1 Dinosaur-Type monster from your hand.
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Super-Ancient Dinobeast
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196246_200w.jpg
You can Tribute Summon this card in face-up Attack Position by Tributing 1 Dinosaur-Type monster. When a Dinosaur-Type monster(s) is Special Summoned from your Graveyard (except during the Damage Step) while this monster is on the field: You can draw 1 card.
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Spacetime Transcendence
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196257_200w.jpg
Banish 2 or more Dinosaur monsters from your GY; Special Summon 1 Dinosaur monster from your hand or GY whose Level equals the total Levels of those banished monsters, but it cannot attack this turn.
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Dark Driceratops
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196250_200w.jpg
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.
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Reinforcements
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196264_200w.jpg
Increase 1 selected monster's ATK by 500 points during the turn this card is activated.
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Gale Lizard
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196249_200w.jpg
FLIP: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; return that target to the hand.
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White Elephant's Gift
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186788_200w.jpg
Send 1 face-up non-Effect Monster you control to the GY; draw 2 cards.
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Black Stego
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196253_200w.jpg
If this face-up Attack Position card is targeted for an attack: Change this card to Defense Position.
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Dinosaur Kingdom
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196233_200w.jpg
All Dinosaur monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF.
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Element Saurus
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196252_200w.jpg
This monster gets the following effect(s) while there is a monster(s) with the following Attribute(s) on the field: • FIRE: This card gains 500 ATK. • EARTH: Negate the effect of an Effect Monster that this card destroyed by battle.
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Anthrosaurus
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196244_200w.jpg
Dis man-like dinosawz gotta high I.Q., even tho he's lackin' in da strength depawtment. (Kinda like yooz, if ya had a high I.Q.! Nyaah!)
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Black Tyranno
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196245_200w.jpg
If the only cards your opponent controls are Defense Position monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly.
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Card Advance
Market Price: $0.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196262_200w.jpg
Look at up to 5 cards from the top of your Deck, then place them on the top of the Deck in any order. You can Tribute Summon 1 monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set this turn. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.)
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Uraby
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196241_200w.jpg
Fast on its feet, this dinosaur rips enemies to shreds with its sharp claws.
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Ultra Evolution Pill
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196256_200w.jpg
Tribute 1 Reptile-Type monster; Special Summon 1 Dinosaur-Type monster from your hand.
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Two-Headed King Rex
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196240_200w.jpg
A powerful monster whose two heads attack as one.
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Raise Body Heat
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196255_200w.jpg
A Dinosaur-Type monster equipped with this card increases its ATK and DEF by 300 points.
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Crawling Dragon #2
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196242_200w.jpg
A powerful dragon with teeth that can grind almost anything to dust.
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Heat Wave
Market Price: $2.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196261_200w.jpg
This card can only be activated at the start of Main Phase 1. Neither player can Normal or Special Summon an Effect Monster, until your next Draw Phase.
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Rex's Dinosaur Kingdom skill is another basic stat booster, but it doesn't boost your opponent's monsters, and it's attached to a deck with solid Normal Summons and very few dead cards. Even the high-Level monsters in Rex's deck are much easier to play: Super-Ancient Dinobeast has its own Special Summon effect, and support cards like Ultra Evolution Pill, Card Advance, and Spacetime Transcendence make them more accessible. The card text is pretty light, and even the heavier cards like Element Saurus are easy to understand.

The one thing to point out is that everything's a Dinosaur but Gale Lizard. That means it won't get the Dinosaur Kingdom boost, it won't work with some of your effects, and it's the only card that does work with Ultra Evolution Pill. Gale Lizard winds up being quite important once you lock down the basics and kick Ultimate Predators into the fun zone, so don't be afraid to call it out early.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Ultimate Predators: Weevil's Hidden Parasite by Speed Duel Starter Decks
' Ultimate Predators: Weevil's Hidden Parasite' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $6.66
Cards
Insect Princess
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196291_200w.jpg
All Insect monsters your opponent controls are changed to Attack Position. If this card destroys an Insect monster by battle: This card gains 500 ATK.
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Hidden Parasite
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196236_200w.jpg
Once per turn, you can change all monsters on the field to Insect until the end of this turn, also, any battle damage your opponent takes is halved for the rest of this turn. You may use this Skill up to twice per Duel.
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Kumootoko
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196285_200w.jpg
A massive, intelligent spider that traps enemies with webbing.
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Bee List Soldier
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196293_200w.jpg
You can Tribute this card and 1 face-up Insect-Type monster, except "Bee List Soldier", to draw 2 cards.
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Verdant Sanctuary
Market Price: $0.73
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196297_200w.jpg
When an Insect-Type monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, the controller of that monster can add a monster with the same level as the destroyed monster from their Deck to their hand.
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Adhesion Trap Hole
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196307_200w.jpg
You can only activate this card when your opponent successfully Normal Summons, Flip Summons, or Special Summons a monster. As long as that monster remains face-up on the field, the original ATK of the monster is halved.
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Worm Bait
Market Price: $1.75
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196299_200w.jpg
Activate only if you control a face-up Insect-Type monster. Special Summon 2 "Worm Tokens" (Insect-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) to your side of the field. You cannot Normal Summon or Special Summon Level 3 or 4 monsters the turn you activate this card.
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Insect Neglect
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196298_200w.jpg
When your opponent's monster declares an attack: You can banish 1 Insect monster from your GY; negate the attack.
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Gokipon
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196292_200w.jpg
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Insect-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand.
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Spider Egg
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196305_200w.jpg
Activate only when your opponent declares a Direct Attack, and if you have 3 or more Insect-Type monster in your Graveyard. Negate that monster's attack and Special Summon 3 Spider Tokens (Insect-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) to your side of field i
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Laser Cannon Armor
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196295_200w.jpg
An Insect-Type monster equipped with this card increases its ATK and DEF by 300 points.
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Insect Queen
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196287_200w.jpg
This card gains 200 ATK for each Insect monster on the field. Cannot declare an attack unless you Tribute 1 monster. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card destroyed an opponent's monster by battle this turn: Special Summon 1 "Insect Monster Token" (Insect/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) in Attack Position.
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Corrosive Scales
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196306_200w.jpg
Target 1 Insect monster you control; equip this card to it. While you control the equipped monster, your opponent's monsters cannot attack Insect monsters, except the equipped monster. While this card is equipped to a monster, each time your opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster(s), OR activates a card or effect, place 1 Scale Counter on each face-up monster they control. Each monster your opponent controls loses 100 ATK/DEF for each Scale Counter it has.
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Eradicating Aerosol
Market Price: $0.57
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196304_200w.jpg
Destroy all face-up Insect-Type monsters on the field.
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Big Insect
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196269_200w.jpg
A giant ant that dwells in the jungle, it is powerful whether attacking or defending.
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Man-Eater Bug
Market Price: $0.60
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196289_200w.jpg
FLIP: Destroy 1 monster on the field.
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Beetron
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196294_200w.jpg
You can send 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card you control to the Graveyard to target 1 Level 4 or lower Insect-Type monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target in face-up Defense Position. The effect of "Beetron" can only be used once per turn.
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Basic Insect
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196283_200w.jpg
Usually found traveling in swarms, this creature's ideal environment is the forest.
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Pinch Hopper
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196290_200w.jpg
When this card you control is sent to your Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Insect-Type monster from your hand.
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Forest
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196296_200w.jpg
All Insect, Beast, Plant, and Beast-Warrior monsters on the field gain 200 ATK/DEF.
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Meanwhile Weevil's Hidden Parasite deck is where you'll start as the teacher; Hidden Parasite one of the most useless skill cards going, at least in the starter decks, but it does have a couple tricks.

Since everything in Weevil's deck is already an Insect, this skill's really about changing all your opponent's monsters into bugs and then blowing them away with Eradicating Aerosol. It may not win you the game, but it's pretty funny as your one big move when your learner's trying to beat through all your bugs. (Hidden Parasite combos with Insect Princess too, but honestly, you'll probably move on from learner mode before that ever happens.)

Weevil's deck here is basically a sponge for punishment, much like Weevil himself. Cards like Pinch Hopper, Beetron, Man-Eater Bug, Gokipon, Verdant Sanctuary, and Spider Egg all barricade your Life Points, and once your learner finally bashes through every monster, you can shield yourself with their squashed corpses thanks to Insect Neglect.

It's pretty much the most Weevil thing ever, and it's a great way to teach somebody the ropes. The Insect cards here are definitely more complicated than Rex's Dinosaurs, but that's fine as long as you're the one piloting them. Once you're ready to move on, you'll want to shift both decks into their next builds with their second skill cards, and trade off so you play Rex, and your learner plays Weevil.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Ultimate Predators: Rex's Nightmare Sonic Blast! by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Ultimate Predators: Rex's Nightmare Sonic Blast!' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $5.48
Cards
Card Advance
Market Price: $0.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196262_200w.jpg
Look at up to 5 cards from the top of your Deck, then place them on the top of the Deck in any order. You can Tribute Summon 1 monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set this turn. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.)
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Gale Lizard
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196249_200w.jpg
FLIP: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; return that target to the hand.
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Limit Impulse
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186793_200w.jpg
Send 2 cards from your hand to the GY; Special Summon 2 "Soul Tokens" (Fiend/DARK/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0). They cannot be Tributed except for a Tribute Summon.
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Serpent Night Dragon
Market Price: $0.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196239_200w.jpg
A dragon created from the soul of a wicked knight.
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Mad Sword Beast
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196247_200w.jpg
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.
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Black Stego
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196253_200w.jpg
If this face-up Attack Position card is targeted for an attack: Change this card to Defense Position.
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Gilasaurus
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196248_200w.jpg
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 1 EARTH monster in your Graveyard from play. Increase the ATK of this monster by 300 points during your opponent's Battle Phase.
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Crawling Dragon #2
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196242_200w.jpg
A powerful dragon with teeth that can grind almost anything to dust.
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Two-Headed King Rex
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196240_200w.jpg
A powerful monster whose two heads attack as one.
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White Elephant's Gift
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186788_200w.jpg
Send 1 face-up non-Effect Monster you control to the GY; draw 2 cards.
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Hyper Hammerhead
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196251_200w.jpg
When this monster battles an opponent's monster, unless the opponent's monster is destroyed by battle, it is returned to its owner's hand at the end of the Damage Step.
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Uraby
Market Price: $0.07
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196241_200w.jpg
Fast on its feet, this dinosaur rips enemies to shreds with its sharp claws.
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Cost Down
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196258_200w.jpg
Discard 1 card; for the rest of this turn, reduce the Levels of all monsters in your hand by 2 (even after they are Summoned).
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Gentlemander
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196254_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Your opponent cannot attack any monsters except this one.
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Super-Ancient Dinobeast
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196246_200w.jpg
You can Tribute Summon this card in face-up Attack Position by Tributing 1 Dinosaur-Type monster. When a Dinosaur-Type monster(s) is Special Summoned from your Graveyard (except during the Damage Step) while this monster is on the field: You can draw 1 card.
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Nightmare Sonic Blast!
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196234_200w.jpg
You can activate this Skill while you control "Serpent Night Dragon".
Once per turn, you can reveal the top 4 cards of your Deck, use 1 of the following Skills, depending on the number of monsters revealed.
1: Add one of the revealed cards to your hand.
2: Destroy 1 card your opponent controls.
3 or more: Apply both effects.
Then place the rest of the revealed cards on top of your Deck in any order.
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Summoner's Art
Market Price: $1.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196259_200w.jpg
Select 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your Deck and add it to your hand.
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Dark Driceratops
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196250_200w.jpg
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.
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Pharaoh's Treasure
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196265_200w.jpg
After activation, put this card face-up in your Deck and shuffle it. When you draw this card, send it to the Graveyard and add 1 card in your Graveyard (except this card) to your hand.
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Rex's Nightmare Sonic Blast! deck plays a lot like the Yugi and Kaiba decks from earlier, trying to establish his signature monster so you can go off with the skill card. But it feels a lot better, because the rest of the deck functions more smoothly than Yugi's and Kaiba's; it's got better low-Level monsters and no dead cards like Dark Magic Attack or Burst Stream of Destruction.

Notice Gale Lizard and Hyper Hammerhead here, because combined with Nightmare Sonic Blast! they're your main answers to the 3500 ATK beatstick your learner's going to be thumping you with from this point forward.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Ultimate Predators: Weevil's Hyper Metamorphosis by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Ultimate Predators: Weevil's Hyper Metamorphosis' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $5.14
Cards
Corrosive Scales
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196306_200w.jpg
Target 1 Insect monster you control; equip this card to it. While you control the equipped monster, your opponent's monsters cannot attack Insect monsters, except the equipped monster. While this card is equipped to a monster, each time your opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster(s), OR activates a card or effect, place 1 Scale Counter on each face-up monster they control. Each monster your opponent controls loses 100 ATK/DEF for each Scale Counter it has.
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Alinsection
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196286_200w.jpg
A stag beetle with saw-like head and arms.
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Order to Smash
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196308_200w.jpg
Select 1 face-up Level 2 or lower Normal Monster (except a Token) on your side of the field when you activate this card. When this card resolves, you can offer the selected Normal Monster as a Tribute and destroy 1 or 2 Spell or Trap cards on your opponent''s side of the field.
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Amulet of Ambition
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196302_200w.jpg
Equip only to a Normal Monster. If it battles a monster with a higher Level, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK x the difference in Levels (during that battle only). When this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can return it to the top of your Deck.
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Man-Eater Bug
Market Price: $0.60
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196289_200w.jpg
FLIP: Destroy 1 monster on the field.
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White Elephant's Gift
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186788_200w.jpg
Send 1 face-up non-Effect Monster you control to the GY; draw 2 cards.
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Verdant Sanctuary
Market Price: $0.73
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196297_200w.jpg
When an Insect-Type monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, the controller of that monster can add a monster with the same level as the destroyed monster from their Deck to their hand.
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Gokipon
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196292_200w.jpg
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Insect-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand.
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Petit Moth
Market Price: $0.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196268_200w.jpg
This small but deadly creature is better off avoided.
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Cocoon of Evolution
Market Price: $0.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196288_200w.jpg
You can equip this card from your hand as an Equip Spell Card to a face-up "Petit Moth" on the field. While equipped by this effect, the ATK and DEF of "Petit Moth" become equal to the ATK and DEF of "Cocoon of Evolution".
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Winged Cleaver
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196284_200w.jpg
Few can withstand the scythe-like arms of this dangerous creature.
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Hyper Metamorphosis
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196235_200w.jpg
You can activate this Skill while you control a Level 3 or lower Insect Normal Monster. Discard 2 cards and Tribute 1 Level 3 or lower Insect Normal Monster you control to Special Summon 1 "Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth" from your hand or Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions. Any damage your opponent takes for the rest of this turn is halved.
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Enchanting Fitting Room
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196300_200w.jpg
Pay 800 Life Points. Pick up 4 cards from the top of your Deck and Special Summon to your side of the field all Level 3 or lower Normal Monsters among the picked-up cards. Return all the other picked-up cards to your Deck and the Deck is then shuffled.
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Insect Queen
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196287_200w.jpg
This card gains 200 ATK for each Insect monster on the field. Cannot declare an attack unless you Tribute 1 monster. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card destroyed an opponent's monster by battle this turn: Special Summon 1 "Insect Monster Token" (Insect/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) in Attack Position.
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Dark Factory of Mass Production
Market Price: $0.56
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196301_200w.jpg
Target 2 Normal Monsters in your Graveyard; add those targets to your hand.
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Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196267_200w.jpg
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This monster can only be Special Summoned by Tributing "Petit Moth" on the 6th of your turns after "Petit Moth" has been equipped with "Cocoon of Evolution".
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Spider Egg
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196305_200w.jpg
Activate only when your opponent declares a Direct Attack, and if you have 3 or more Insect-Type monster in your Graveyard. Negate that monster's attack and Special Summon 3 Spider Tokens (Insect-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) to your side of field i
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Basic Insect
Market Price: $0.19
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196283_200w.jpg
Usually found traveling in swarms, this creature's ideal environment is the forest.
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Kumootoko
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196285_200w.jpg
A massive, intelligent spider that traps enemies with webbing.
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Bee List Soldier
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196293_200w.jpg
You can Tribute this card and 1 face-up Insect-Type monster, except "Bee List Soldier", to draw 2 cards.
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Weevil goes on the offensive with Hyper Metamorphosis! While Hidden Parasite was darn near useless, Hyper Metamorphosis is a costly, but incredibly impactful skill that sets up a lot of pressure. And a lot of entertainment! All your learner has to do is summon one of this deck's five Normal Monsters, and Tribute it along with two discards, and they'll unleash Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth straight from their deck or hand.

That's a hefty cost, especially in Speed Duels where your opening hand is only four cards. But with Dark Factory of Mass Production, Enchanting Fitting Room, Verdant Sanctuary and Gokipon, you can work to keep up your card economy. The result are games where the Weevil player establishes the Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth early, loses it to Gale Lizard or Hyper Hammerhead, and then works to gather the three cards needed to summon it again. Meanwhile the Rex player fights to take the win before that can happen. Add in the desperation defense of cards like Gentlemander and Limit Impulse and you've got some legitimate fun going on.

Once your learner's familiar with the Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth deck you can trade off again, and either let them play the Nightmare Sonic Blast! build or go back to Dinosaur Kingdom. Ultimate Predators is a surprisingly good time that feels like an actual game, making it one of the best ways to teach a new player Yu-Gi-Oh. The fact that it's also the cheapest of the Speed Duel Starters and the easiest to find is fantastic too.

Twisted Nightmares Starters

Coming off Ultimate Predators, Twisted Nightmares brings you Marik and Bakura - two far better villains than Rex and Weevil - for sort of mixed results (at least as a teaching tool).

In the grand scheme of things, Twisted Nightmares has probably the single most confusing, text-heavy card pool of all the starters. On the other hand, three of the four skill cards are good, so you can get a healthy back-and-forth going if your learner can make it through getting to know the cards.

Personally I don't think I'd start a new player on these decks. But if you want to give it a shot, or you just want to cut your learner's teeth on a different starter and then bust these out to show off some unique mechanics, here's how I'd do it.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Twisted Nightmares: Bakura's Into the Darkness Below by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Twisted Nightmares: Bakura's Into the Darkness Below' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $8.34
Cards
Whiptail Crow
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186718_200w.jpg
Attacks from the skies with a whip-like tail.
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The Earl of Demise
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213945_200w.jpg
This gentlemanly creature is extremely wicked, feared by man and fiend alike.
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Dark Ruler Ha Des
Market Price: $0.42
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213958_200w.jpg
Negate the effects of Effect Monsters destroyed by battle with Fiend-Type monsters your control. This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard.
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Mad Reloader
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213978_200w.jpg
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: Send 2 cards from your hand to the GY, and if you do, draw 2 cards.
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Zoma the Spirit
Market Price: $3.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213990_200w.jpg
Special Summon this card in Defense Position as an Effect Monster (Zombie-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 500). (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If this card is destroyed by battle: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the monster that destroyed it.
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Dark Necrofear
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213943_200w.jpg
This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 2 LIGHT monsters in your Graveyard from play. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, decrease the ATK of all monsters on your opponent's side of the field by 300 points during his/her Battle P
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Creeping Darkness
Market Price: $0.23
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213989_200w.jpg
Banish 2 DARK monsters from your Graveyard; add 1 Level 4 DARK monster from your Deck to your hand.
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Sword of Dark Destruction
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190903_200w.jpg
Equip only to a DARK monster. It gains 400 ATK and loses 200 DEF.
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Prometheus, King of the Shadows
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213967_200w.jpg
If this card is Normal Summoned: Banish 1 or more DARK monsters from your GY, and if you do, this card gains 400 ATK for each, until the end of this turn.
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Into the Darkness Below
Market Price: $0.40
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214220_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase. Once per turn, you can discard 1 Normal Fiend Monster, then use 1 of the following Skills.
• Draw 1 card, also flip this card over.
• If you have 4 or more Fiend Normal Monsters with different names in your GY, add 1 monster from your Deck to your hand, also flip this card over.
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That Which Feeds on Life
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213946_200w.jpg
A monster that feeds on the energy of other creatures.
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Offerings to the Doomed
Market Price: $0.78
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213981_200w.jpg
Destroys 1 face-up monster. Skip your next Draw Phase.
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Common Charity
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186752_200w.jpg
Draw 2 cards, then banish 1 Normal Monster from your hand, or, if you have none, send your entire hand to the GY.
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Dark Eruption
Market Price: $0.18
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213984_200w.jpg
Target 1 DARK monster with 1500 or less ATK in your GY; add that target to your hand.
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The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213949_200w.jpg
This monster feeds on the dreams of an unwary sleeper, dragging the victim into eternal slumber.
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The Shadow Who Controls the Dark
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213954_200w.jpg
A shadow that dwells in the dark, paralyzing its opponents and rendering them harmless.
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Mask of Darkness
Market Price: $0.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213976_200w.jpg
FLIP: Select 1 Trap Card from your Graveyard. Add it to your hand.
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Earthbound Spirit
Market Price: $0.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213952_200w.jpg
A vengeful creature formed by the spirits of fallen warriors, it drags any who dare approach it into the deepest bowels of the earth.
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Headless Knight
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213951_200w.jpg
A haunted spirit of a falsely accused knight who wanders in search of truth and justice.
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Neck Hunter
Market Price: $0.33
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213944_200w.jpg
A fiend that wields a mean sickle and fires devastating beams from its eyes.
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The Forceful Checkpoint
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213994_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Look at your opponent's hand, and if there is a Monster Card, negate the attack, then discard 1 monster from their hand (your choice).
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/213994/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-twisted-nightmares-the-forceful-checkpoint

Into the Darkness Below is the one skill card in Twisted Nightmares that doesn't measure up to the rest. Its first effect is sort of a bad Upstart Goblin with an outside shot at a few combos, and its second effect - the search - will almost never work because games just don't last that long. If it does work, there's no real power card to search anyways. That said, this is the deck you'll play when you're in "let the learner win" mode, and most of the effects are easy to explain.

Cards like Zoma the Spirit, The Forceful Checkpoint and Offerings to the Doomed are all good defensive cards, and in general you'll probably notice that games with Twisted Nightmares tend to run a bit longer than the other starters. This deck isn't overly complicated, which is good, because the other three builds are tougher to tackle.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Twisted Nightmares: Marik's Twisted Personality by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Twisted Nightmares: Marik's Twisted Personality' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $8.82
Cards
Lava Golem
Market Price: $2.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213996_200w.jpg
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) to your opponent's side of the field by Tributing 2 monsters they control. You cannot Normal Summon/Set the turn you Special Summon this card. During each of your Standby Phases: Take 1000 damage.
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Gil Garth
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214007_200w.jpg
This steel-armored terror machine ruthlessly strikes down enemies with its giant katana.
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Dark Jeroid
Market Price: $0.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214033_200w.jpg
When this card is Summoned: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; it loses 800 ATK.
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Melchid the Four-Face Beast
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/228032_200w.jpg
This monster has four different masks for four different attacks.
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Drillago
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214034_200w.jpg
If the only cards your opponent controls are face-up monsters with 1600 or more ATK, this card can attack your opponent directly.
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Mefist the Infernal General
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214025_200w.jpg
When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, discard 1 card randomly from your opponent's hand.
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Nightmare Wheel
Market Price: $0.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214046_200w.jpg
Activate this card by targeting 1 monster your opponent controls; it cannot attack or change its battle position. When it leaves the field, destroy this card. During each of your Standby Phases: Inflict 500 damage to your opponent. That monster must be on the field to activate and to resolve this effect.
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Supply Squad
Market Price: $0.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214043_200w.jpg
Once per turn, if a monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: Draw 1 card.
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Faustian Bargain
Market Price: $0.33
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214041_200w.jpg
Send 1 Special Summoned monster on either side of the field to the Graveyard and Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from your hand.
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Coffin Seller
Market Price: $0.69
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214048_200w.jpg
Each time Monster Card(s) are sent to your opponent's Graveyard, inflict 300 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.
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Brave Scizzar
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214001_200w.jpg
Armed with a mass of scissors, this monster can clip an enemy into any desired shape and size.
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Bowganian
Market Price: $0.37
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214035_200w.jpg
During each of your Standby Phases, inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.
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Twisted Personality
Market Price: $0.41
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214222_200w.jpg
Each time a player loses LP, place 1 counter on this card (max. 3). Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can use 1 of the following Skills.
• Remove 2 counters from this card, then discard 1 random card from your opponent's hand.
• Remove 3 counters from this card, then destroy 1 face-up card your opponent controls.
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Dokuroyaiba
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214014_200w.jpg
A boomerang with brains that will pursue a target to the ends of the earth.
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Creature Seizure
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214040_200w.jpg
Each player gives their opponent control of 1 of their monsters (controller's choice). You must choose a face-up Normal Monster.
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Prideful Roar
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214051_200w.jpg
Activate only during damage calculation when the ATK of your battling monster is lower than the ATK of your opponent''s, and pay Life Points equal to the difference in ATK. Your monster gains ATK equal to that difference +300, during damage calculation only.
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Newdoria
Market Price: $0.82
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214030_200w.jpg
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, select 1 monster on the field and destroy it.
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Dark Prisoner
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214008_200w.jpg
This monster bends light to hide its image from the eyes of opponents.
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Tribute to The Doomed
Market Price: $0.42
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214037_200w.jpg
Discard 1 card from your hand. Select 1 monster on the field and destroy it.
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Lady Assailant of Flames
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214027_200w.jpg
FLIP: Banish the top 3 cards of your Deck; inflict 800 damage to your opponent.
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Yaiba Robo
Market Price: $0.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213999_200w.jpg
A cubical machine equipped with cutting blades for shredding an opponent to mincemeat.
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Marik's Twisted Personality deck is probably the best build of the four, and the cards it plays are also easier to understand and more approachable than those in Marik's Shadow Reborn build. It's definitely the first deck your learner should use if you're playing Twisted Nightmares. Twisted Personality itself is a bit of accounting work due to all the counters, but it's powerful skill that's fun to use, and the added work feels rewarding.

Most of the cards are easy to play, with the four exceptions being Lava Golem, Prideful Roar, and Nightmare Wheel for their text and slightly off-kilter effects, as well as Faustian Bargain, since a new player will likely find it tough to keep track of which monsters were Special Summoned. Apart from those the rest of the deck's not bad, and the build demonstrates control and burn strategies nicely.

Once you've played a few games with those first two decks, the remaining builds ratchet up the difficulty with "LV" monsters and more complicated monster effects.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Twisted Nightmares: Bakura's Inner Conflict by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Twisted Nightmares: Bakura's Inner Conflict' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $12.81
Cards
Allure of Darkness
Market Price: $4.33
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213988_200w.jpg
Draw 2 cards, then banish 1 DARK monster from your hand, or, if you do not have any in your hand, send your entire hand to the GY.
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Dark Mimic LV3
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213973_200w.jpg
If this card is sent to the Graveyard by battle, the controller of this card draws 1 card. If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Dark Mimic LV1", they draw 2 cards instead.
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Inner Conflict
Market Price: $0.50
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214219_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase. Once per Duel, you can pay half your LP and take control of 1 monster your opponent controls until the End Phase, but it cannot attack directly this turn.
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Prometheus, King of the Shadows
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213967_200w.jpg
If this card is Normal Summoned: Banish 1 or more DARK monsters from your GY, and if you do, this card gains 400 ATK for each, until the end of this turn.
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Veil of Darkness
Market Price: $0.08
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186765_200w.jpg
During your Draw Phase, if you draw a DARK monster(s): You can reveal any number of them; send them to the GY, then you can draw 1 more card.
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The Forceful Checkpoint
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213994_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Look at your opponent's hand, and if there is a Monster Card, negate the attack, then discard 1 monster from their hand (your choice).
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Zoma the Spirit
Market Price: $3.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213990_200w.jpg
Special Summon this card in Defense Position as an Effect Monster (Zombie-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 500). (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If this card is destroyed by battle: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the monster that destroyed it.
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Offerings to the Doomed
Market Price: $0.78
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213981_200w.jpg
Destroys 1 face-up monster. Skip your next Draw Phase.
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Twister
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213992_200w.jpg
Pay 500 Life Points. Destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap card.
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The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213949_200w.jpg
This monster feeds on the dreams of an unwary sleeper, dragging the victim into eternal slumber.
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Lesser Fiend
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213963_200w.jpg
(This card is always treated as an "Archfiend" card.)
Banish any monster destroyed by battle with this card.
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Gaap the Divine Soldier
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213956_200w.jpg
While this card is face-up on the field, all monsters on the field are changed to face-up Attack Position and their battle positions cannot be changed. Flip Effects are not activated at this time. Once per turn, by revealing 1 or more Fiend-Type monsters
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Whiptail Crow
Market Price: $0.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186718_200w.jpg
Attacks from the skies with a whip-like tail.
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Twin-Headed Wolf
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213965_200w.jpg
When there is another face-up Fiend-Type monster on your side of the field, negate the effect of Flip Effect Monsters destroyed by this card as a result of battle.
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Dark Necrofear
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213943_200w.jpg
This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 2 LIGHT monsters in your Graveyard from play. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, decrease the ATK of all monsters on your opponent's side of the field by 300 points during his/her Battle P
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Dark Ruler Ha Des
Market Price: $0.42
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213958_200w.jpg
Negate the effects of Effect Monsters destroyed by battle with Fiend-Type monsters your control. This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard.
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Earthbound Spirit
Market Price: $0.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213952_200w.jpg
A vengeful creature formed by the spirits of fallen warriors, it drags any who dare approach it into the deepest bowels of the earth.
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Lancer Archfiend
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213969_200w.jpg
Once per turn, when a monster you control declares an attack targeting a Defense Position monster your opponent controls, you can activate this effect. If you do, during this battle, if the ATK of the attacking monster is greater than the DEF of the Defense Position monster it battles, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.
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Dark Mimic LV1
Market Price: $0.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213975_200w.jpg
FLIP: Draw 1 card from your Deck. Also, during your Standby Phase, send this face-up card to the Graveyard to Special Summon 1 "Dark Mimic LV3" from your hand or Deck.
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Headless Knight
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213951_200w.jpg
A haunted spirit of a falsely accused knight who wanders in search of truth and justice.
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Puppet Master
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213960_200w.jpg
When this card is Tribute Summoned: You can pay 2000 Life Points to target 2 Fiend monsters in your GY; Special Summon those targets, but they cannot attack this turn.
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Inner Conflict is a kind of crazy-good skill that can salvage a field when you lose control of the game, or move a blocking monster out of the way when you're already winning. It's a better skill than Marik's Shadow Reborn, and the cards that come with it are easier to understand with less text, so this deck should probably go to your learner. Gaap the Divine Soldier is a bit complicated, but everything else is relatively easy.

The deck does run several tribute monsters, so when you show your learner the skill card make sure they know that tributing whatever they take is perfectly alright, and can help remove threats permanently.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Twisted Nightmares: Marik's Shadow Reborn by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Twisted Nightmares: Marik's Shadow Reborn' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $9.57
Cards
Helpoemer
Market Price: $0.23
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214024_200w.jpg
Cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. If this card was destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, this effect activates at the end of each of your opponent's Battle Phases: Discard 1 random card from your opponent's hand. This card must be in the Graveyard to activate and to resolve this effect.
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Shadow Reborn
Market Price: $0.35
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214221_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase. Once per Duel, you can pay half your LP and Special Summon 1 monster from either GY, but your opponent takes no battle damage this turn.
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Metal Reflect Slime
Market Price: $0.69
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214050_200w.jpg
Special Summon this card in Defense Position as an Effect Monster (Aqua/WATER/Level 10/ATK 0/DEF 3000). (This card is also still a Trap.) This card cannot attack.
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Viser Des
Market Price: $0.09
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214029_200w.jpg
If this card is Normal Summoned: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; during your third Standby Phase after this effect's activation, destroy that monster. This card cannot be destroyed by battle while the targeted monster is on the field.
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Mefist the Infernal General
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214025_200w.jpg
When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, discard 1 card randomly from your opponent's hand.
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Dark Lucius LV6
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214017_200w.jpg
If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Dark Lucius LV4", the effects of your opponent's monsters that this card destroys by battle are negated. During your next Standby Phase after this card has negated your opponent's monster effect, by sending this card to the GY, Special Summon 1 "Dark Lucius LV8" from your hand or Deck.
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Newdoria
Market Price: $0.82
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214030_200w.jpg
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, select 1 monster on the field and destroy it.
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Supply Squad
Market Price: $0.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214043_200w.jpg
Once per turn, if a monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: Draw 1 card.
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Melchid the Four-Face Beast
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/228032_200w.jpg
This monster has four different masks for four different attacks.
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Dark Lucius LV4
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214019_200w.jpg
The effects of your opponent's monsters that this card destroys by battle are negated. During your next Standby Phase after this card destroys a monster by battle, by sending this card to the GY, Special Summon 1 "Dark Lucius LV6" from your hand or Deck.
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Lava Golem
Market Price: $2.00
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213996_200w.jpg
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) to your opponent's side of the field by Tributing 2 monsters they control. You cannot Normal Summon/Set the turn you Special Summon this card. During each of your Standby Phases: Take 1000 damage.
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Drillago
Market Price: $0.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214034_200w.jpg
If the only cards your opponent controls are face-up monsters with 1600 or more ATK, this card can attack your opponent directly.
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Legendary Fiend
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214021_200w.jpg
During each of your Standby Phases: This card gains 700 ATK.
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Level Up!
Market Price: $1.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214038_200w.jpg
Send 1 face-up "LV" monster on your side of the field to the Graveyard. Special Summon a monster from your hand or Deck that is written in the card text of the sent monster, ignoring any and all Summoning conditions.
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Byser Shock
Market Price: $0.22
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214022_200w.jpg
When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, return all Set cards on the field to their owner's respective hands.
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Tribute to The Doomed
Market Price: $0.42
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214037_200w.jpg
Discard 1 card from your hand. Select 1 monster on the field and destroy it.
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Dark Jeroid
Market Price: $0.30
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214033_200w.jpg
When this card is Summoned: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; it loses 800 ATK.
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Prideful Roar
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214051_200w.jpg
Activate only during damage calculation when the ATK of your battling monster is lower than the ATK of your opponent''s, and pay Life Points equal to the difference in ATK. Your monster gains ATK equal to that difference +300, during damage calculation only.
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Rope of Life
Market Price: $0.17
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214045_200w.jpg
When a monster(s) is destroyed by battle and sent to your Graveyard: Discard your entire hand to target 1 of those monsters; Special Summon it, and if you do, it gains 800 ATK.
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Dark Lucius LV8
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214016_200w.jpg
If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Dark Lucius LV6", your opponent's monsters that this card destroys by battle are removed from play, and their effects are negated.
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Gil Garth
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214007_200w.jpg
This steel-armored terror machine ruthlessly strikes down enemies with its giant katana.
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Shadow Reborn feels a bit similar to Inner Conflict, but you can't push wins the turn you play it, and it often takes a while to see anything worth reviving. That makes it a more complicated, less powerful skill than Bakura's, which means you should be the one to play it. At the same time, cards like Viser Des, Metal Reflect Slime, and especially the text-heavy Dark Lucius LV6 can be difficult for a new player to parse, slowing down the game and sewing seeds of self-doubt.

These two decks can play competitively against one another, so if your learner gets confident and wants you to really give it your all for a few games, the Shadow Reborn versus Inner Conflict matchup's a solid option.

This deck has some great cards for constructed Speed Duels, but it's probably the toughest to teach with. Definitely consider that fact if you have a choice of starters to use; Twisted Nightmares makes a much better second act than an introduction.

Match of the Millennium Starters

Last up, Match of the Millennium sees Yugi and Pegasus facing off again, in a configuration that's a little bit easier to teach than Destiny Masters. Pegasus' cards are still overly complicated for new players, but the good news this time around is that the Pegasus decks are so outmatched against the high-impact Yugi decks that it hardly matters.

Three of these four decks use Ritual Monsters - both Pegasus decks and the second Yugi deck - but you can keep that under control by playing Pegasus yourself and just ignoring Relinquished if you're starting your learner here. You could even take Relinquished and Black Illusion Ritual out of the first Pegasus deck entirely, just playing an 18 card deck or replacing it with whatever you think makes a decent fit.

It won't matter much, because Yugi's deck is such a brutal beating.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Match of the Millennium: Yugi's Knight of Legend by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Match of the Millennium: Yugi's Knight of Legend' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $15.11
Cards
Beaver Warrior
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213957_200w.jpg
What this creature lacks in size it makes up for in defense when battling in the prairie.
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Celtic Guardian
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213959_200w.jpg
An elf who learned to wield a sword, he baffles enemies with lightning-swift attacks.
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Gaia The Fierce Knight
Market Price: $0.64
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213950_200w.jpg
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Old Vindictive Magician
Market Price: $0.67
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213970_200w.jpg
FLIP: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target.
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Fighting Spirit
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196228_200w.jpg
The equipped monster gains 300 ATK for each monster your opponent controls. If it would be destroyed by battle, you can destroy this card instead.
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Goblin Circus
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214000_200w.jpg
During each of your End Phases: Reveal the bottom card of your Deck, then place it on the top of the Deck or banish it face-down.
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Spell Shattering Arrow
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213987_200w.jpg
Destroy all face-up Spell Cards your opponent controls. For each destroyed Spell Card, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
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Eliminating the League
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214006_200w.jpg
Discard a Magic card from hand. Destroy a face-up monster on opponent''s field. Also look at opponent''s hand, and send all cards with the same name to Graveyard.
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Summoner's Art
Market Price: $1.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196259_200w.jpg
Select 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your Deck and add it to your hand.
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Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213955_200w.jpg
A dragon commonly found guarding mountain fortresses. Its signature attack is a sweeping dive from out of the blue.
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Sphere Kuriboh
Market Price: $2.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213974_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard; change the attacking monster to Defense Position. When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon.
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Spellbinding Circle
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196192_200w.jpg
Activate this card by targeting 1 monster your opponent controls; it cannot attack or change its battle position. When that monster is destroyed, destroy this card.
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Curse of Dragon
Market Price: $0.47
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213953_200w.jpg
A wicked dragon that taps into dark forces to execute a powerful attack.
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Polymerization
Market Price: $0.97
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183675_200w.jpg
Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or your side of the field as Fusion Materials.
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Dark Magician
Market Price: $0.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183717_200w.jpg
This promotional card is printed in Japanese.
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Soul Release
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213985_200w.jpg
Select up to 5 cards from the Graveyard(s) and remove them from play.
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Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight
Market Price: $2.67
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213966_200w.jpg
You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. If this card is Normal Summoned without Tributing, its original ATK becomes 1900. If this card is Tributed: You can add 1 "Black Luster Soldier" monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight" once per turn.
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Backup Squad
Market Price: $0.11
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214002_200w.jpg
Each time you take 1000 or more damage by your opponent's card effect or their monster's attack: Draw 1 card for every 1000 damage you took.
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Magician of Faith
Market Price: $1.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213972_200w.jpg
FLIP: Select 1 Spell Card from your Graveyard. Add the selected card to your hand.
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Knight of Legend
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214224_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase. Each turn, 1 "Gaia The Fierce Knight" you Normal Summon can be Summoned without Tributing. Apply the following Skills while you control a "Gaia The Fierce Knight" monster or a "Gaia the Dragon Champion" monster.
• If it attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage. Once per turn, if it inflicts battle damage with this Skill, draw 2 cards, then discard 1 card.
• You cannot activate Set cards in the Spell & Trap Zone.
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Spiral Spear Strike
Market Price: $0.88
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213991_200w.jpg
When a "Gaia The Fierce Knight", "Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight" or "Gaia the Dragon Champion" you control attacks a Defense Position monster, if the ATK of that card is higher than the DEF of the Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. If "Gaia the Dragon Champion" inflicts Battle Damage with this effect, draw 2 cards and discard 1 card.
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Gaia the Dragon Champion
Market Price: $0.39
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214009_200w.jpg
Gaia the Fierce Knight + Curse of Dragon
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Yugi's Knight of Legend skill lets you Normal Summon Gaia the Fierce Knight without tributing, placing a 2300 ATK monster on the field for free. Then it gives Gaia piercing damage, and a sort of Graceful Charity effect every time it deals battle damage. It stops you from activating set cards in your backrow, but it hardly matters, because Yugi's got cards like Old Vindictive Magican and a freakin' Sphere Kuriboh for extra defense. Sphere Kuriboh being one of the best cards in Speed Dueling, period.

Yugi can also search for Gaia the Fierce Knight with Summoner's Art, Normal Summon the Effect Monster Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight as a 1900 ATK threat, and if that's somehow not enough he can Polymerization for Gaia the Dragon Champion, which also gets all the benefits of the skill card.

The only caveat here is that there's a fair amount of effect text, including the Knight of Legend skill itself. You can start a new player with this, but make sure to take some extra care explaining the skill and the cards that work with it. This one's a little tricky until they get it, at which point you'll lose every game until the end of time.

Here's what Pegasus is rolling on…

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Match of the Millennium: Pegasus' Toon Mayhem! by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Match of the Millennium: Pegasus' Toon Mayhem!' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $11.37
Cards
Toon Masked Sorcerer
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183756_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Draw 1 card.
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Toon Mayhem!
Market Price: $0.38
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214226_200w.jpg
The first time each "Toon World" in your Spell & Trap Zone would be destroyed each turn, it is not destroyed.
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Toon Rollback
Market Price: $0.55
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183762_200w.jpg
Target 1 Toon monster you control; it can make a second attack during each Battle Phase this turn.
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Manga Ryu-Ran
Market Price: $0.36
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214015_200w.jpg
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned while Toon World is on your side of the field. You can Special Summon this monster from your hand, but Tributes are required for monster Level 5 or more. This card cannot a
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Dust Tornado
Market Price: $1.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214061_200w.jpg
Destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on your opponent''s side of the field. You can then Set 1 Spell or Trap Card from your hand.
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Toon Summoned Skull
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214026_200w.jpg
(This card is always treated as an "Archfiend" card.)
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 monster, while you control "Toon World". Cannot attack the turn it is Special Summoned. You must pay 500 LP to declare an attack with this monster. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. Can attack your opponent directly, unless they control a Toon monster, in which case this card must target a Toon monster for its attacks.
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Skill Successor
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214064_200w.jpg
Select 1 face-up monster you control. It gains 400 ATK until the End Phase. You can remove from play this card in the Graveyard to give 1 face-up monster you control 800 ATK until the End Phase. This effect cannot be activated the turn this card is sent t
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Seven Tools of the Bandit
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183734_200w.jpg
Pay 1000 Life Points. Negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.
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Security Orb
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214063_200w.jpg
When your opponent's monster declares an attack: Target that attacking monster; change that target's battle position. If this Set card is destroyed by your opponent's Spell/Trap effect and sent to the GY: Destroy 1 monster on the field.
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Toon Buster Blader
Market Price: $0.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214020_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. This card gains 500 ATK for each Dragon-Type monster your opponent controls or is in their Graveyard. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly.
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Black Illusion Ritual
Market Price: $0.27
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214049_200w.jpg
This card is used to Ritual Summon "Relinquished". You must also Tribute a monster from your hand or field whose Level is 1 or more.
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Toon Table of Contents
Market Price: $1.51
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183761_200w.jpg
Add 1 "Toon" card from your Deck to your hand.
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Toon Alligator
Market Price: $0.20
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214012_200w.jpg
An alligator monster straight from the cartoons.
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Toon Gemini Elf
Market Price: $0.79
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214032_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Discard 1 random card from your opponent's hand.
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Relinquished
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214047_200w.jpg
You can Ritual Summon this card with "Black Illusion Ritual". Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card (max. 1). This card's ATK/DEF become equal to that equipped monster's. If this card would be destroyed by battle, destroy that equipped monster instead. While equipped with that monster, any battle damage you take from battles involving this card inflicts equal effect damage to your opponent.
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Toon Mermaid
Market Price: $0.49
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214028_200w.jpg
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Cannot be Special Summoned unless you control a face-up "Toon World". Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing the same number of monsters needed for a Tribute Summon (normally 0). Cannot attack the turn it is Special Summoned. You must pay 500 LP to declare an attack with this monster. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. This card can attack your opponent directly, unless they control a Toon monster. If they do control one, this card must target a Toon monster for its attacks.
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Toon World
Market Price: $0.38
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214053_200w.jpg
Activate this card by paying 1000 LP.
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Toon Dark Magician
Market Price: $1.42
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214023_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. Once per turn: You can discard 1 "Toon" card, then activate 1 of these effects;
• Special Summon 1 Toon monster from your Deck, except "Toon Dark Magician", ignoring its Summoning conditions.
• Add 1 "Toon" Spell/Trap Card from your Deck to your hand.
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Toon Mask
Market Price: $1.21
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214059_200w.jpg
If you control "Toon World": Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; Special Summon 1 Toon monster from your hand or Deck, whose Level is less than or equal to the Level/Rank of that monster, ignoring its Summoning conditions.
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Toon Barrel Dragon
Market Price: $0.59
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214018_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. Once per turn: You can target 1 card on the field; toss a coin 3 times and destroy it if at least 2 of the results are heads.
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Okay, so maybe Toon Mayhem! can win a game here and there, especially if you can stick an early Toon Summoned Skull with Toon World to attack directly. Toon Gemini Elf is a big card too. But in general, this deck feels bloatede with monsters that are too tough to summon or too small to matter, and even your big attackers get stunted on by Old Vindictive Magician and Sphere Kuriboh.

But hey, you want your learner to win, right? So that's not terrible. And once they've dipped their toes in, you can bust out a Relinquished now and then to put up a fight and introduce the Ritual Summoning mechanic, in a deck where it feels much more natural and sensible than in Destiny Masters. Teaching your learner about Rituals is important here, because Yugi's next deck runs Black Luster Soldier and a skill card to support it.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Match of the Millennium: Yugi's Ritual of Black Mastery by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Match of the Millennium: Yugi's Ritual of Black Mastery' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $13.32
Cards
Beaver Warrior
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213957_200w.jpg
What this creature lacks in size it makes up for in defense when battling in the prairie.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/213957/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-match-of-the-millennium-beaver-warrior
White Elephant's Gift
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/186788_200w.jpg
Send 1 face-up non-Effect Monster you control to the GY; draw 2 cards.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/186788/yugioh-speed-duel-arena-of-lost-souls-white-elephants-gift
Eliminating the League
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214006_200w.jpg
Discard a Magic card from hand. Destroy a face-up monster on opponent''s field. Also look at opponent''s hand, and send all cards with the same name to Graveyard.
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Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1
Market Price: $0.14
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213955_200w.jpg
A dragon commonly found guarding mountain fortresses. Its signature attack is a sweeping dive from out of the blue.
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Spell Shattering Arrow
Market Price: $0.31
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213987_200w.jpg
Destroy all face-up Spell Cards your opponent controls. For each destroyed Spell Card, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
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Black Luster Ritual
Market Price: $0.32
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213979_200w.jpg
This card is used to Ritual Summon Black Luster Soldier. You must also Tribute monsters from the field or your hand whose total Levels equal 8 or more.
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Ritual of Black Mastery
Market Price: $0.16
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214223_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase, while you control "Black Luster Soldier" or "Magician of Black Chaos" that you Ritual Summoned this turn.
• While you control "Black Luster Soldier", it cannot be destroyed by your opponent's Skill, also once per turn, if your opponent activates a Trap Card, draw 1 card immediately after it resolves.
• While you control "Magician of Black Chaos", it cannot be destroyed by your opponent's Spell effects, also if your "Magician of Black Chaos" destroys a monster by battle, add 1 Spell from your GY to your hand.
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Giant Soldier of Stone
Market Price: $0.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213962_200w.jpg
A giant warrior made of stone. A punch from this creature has earth-shaking results.
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Black Luster Soldier
Market Price: $0.54
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213977_200w.jpg
You can Ritual Summon this card with "Black Luster Ritual".
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Silver Fang
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213961_200w.jpg
A snow wolf that's beautiful to the eye, but absolutely vicious in battle.
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Magic Jammer
Market Price: $0.68
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183733_200w.jpg
When a Spell Card is activated: Discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it.
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Senju of the Thousand Hands
Market Price: $1.10
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213968_200w.jpg
When this card is Normal or Flip Summoned: You can add 1 Ritual Monster from your Deck to your hand.
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Celtic Guardian
Market Price: $0.29
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213959_200w.jpg
An elf who learned to wield a sword, he baffles enemies with lightning-swift attacks.
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Twister
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213992_200w.jpg
Pay 500 Life Points. Destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap card.
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Spellbinding Circle
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196192_200w.jpg
Activate this card by targeting 1 monster your opponent controls; it cannot attack or change its battle position. When that monster is destroyed, destroy this card.
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Shadow Specter
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213964_200w.jpg
Powerful in groups, this animal spirit can be found in the wastelands.
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Kuriboh
Market Price: $0.63
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213971_200w.jpg
During your opponent's Battle Phase, you can discard this card to reduce the Battle Damage you take from 1 of your opponent's attacking monsters to 0.
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Summoner's Art
Market Price: $1.91
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/196259_200w.jpg
Select 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your Deck and add it to your hand.
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Sphere Kuriboh
Market Price: $2.45
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213974_200w.jpg
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard; change the attacking monster to Defense Position. When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon.
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Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight
Market Price: $2.67
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213966_200w.jpg
You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. If this card is Normal Summoned without Tributing, its original ATK becomes 1900. If this card is Tributed: You can add 1 "Black Luster Soldier" monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight" once per turn.
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Old Vindictive Magician
Market Price: $0.67
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/213970_200w.jpg
FLIP: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target.
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Ritual of Black Mastery has a lot of text, but you can make it easier to approach by clarifying to your learner that the last third of it doesn't matter: Magician of Black Chaos isn't in this deck. All this does is protect Black Luster Soldier from your opponent's skill, and draw you a card once a turn if your opponent uses a trap. Explain it like that and you're good to go. The Black Mastery deck doesn't feel as powerful as Knight of Legend, but it's still very solid with ample defense.

This build plays a little more defensively, which puts it on more equal footing with the next Pegasus deck, which is still not very good but at least feels more cohesive.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Deck - Match of the Millennium: Pegasus' Thousand-Eyes Spell by Speed Duel Starter Decks
'Match of the Millennium: Pegasus' Thousand-Eyes Spell' - constructed deck list and prices for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from TCGplayer Infinite!
Created By: Speed Duel Starter Decks
Event:
Rank:
Speed Duel
Market Price: $10.85
Cards
Illusionist Faceless Mage
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214011_200w.jpg
Manipulates enemy attacks with the power of illusion.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/214011/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-match-of-the-millennium-illusionist-faceless-mage
Djinn Disserere of Rituals
Market Price: $0.12
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/190897_200w.jpg
When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your GY as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon. The monster Ritual Summoned using this card is unaffected by Trap effects.
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Skill Successor
Market Price: $0.28
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214064_200w.jpg
Select 1 face-up monster you control. It gains 400 ATK until the End Phase. You can remove from play this card in the Graveyard to give 1 face-up monster you control 800 ATK until the End Phase. This effect cannot be activated the turn this card is sent t
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Seven Tools of the Bandit
Market Price: $0.25
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183734_200w.jpg
Pay 1000 Life Points. Negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.
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Shield Spear
Market Price: $0.15
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214062_200w.jpg
Target monster gains 400 ATK and DEF until the end of this turn.
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Dust Tornado
Market Price: $1.01
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214061_200w.jpg
Destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on your opponent''s side of the field. You can then Set 1 Spell or Trap Card from your hand.
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Thousand-Eyes Restrict
Market Price: $1.44
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214065_200w.jpg
"Relinquished" + "Thousand-Eyes Idol"
Other monsters cannot change their battle position or attack. Once per turn, you can equip 1 monster your opponent controls to this card (max 1). This card's ATK and DEF become the same as the equipped monster's. If this card would be destroyed by battle, the equipped monster is destroyed instead.
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Toon Masked Sorcerer
Market Price: $0.34
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183756_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Draw 1 card.
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Red Archery Girl
Market Price: $0.26
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214013_200w.jpg
A mermaid archer that hides in a protective shell, waiting for the right moment to strike.
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Toon Gemini Elf
Market Price: $0.79
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214032_200w.jpg
Cannot attack the turn it is Summoned. If "Toon World" on the field is destroyed, destroy this card. While you control "Toon World" and your opponent controls no Toon monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Discard 1 random card from your opponent's hand.
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Illusionist Faceless Magician
Market Price: $0.36
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214036_200w.jpg
If a face-up "Eyes Restrict" Fusion Monster(s) or "Relinquished" you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon this card from the GY (if it was there when that monster was destroyed) or hand (even if not). If this card is sent from the field to the GY: You can target 1 "Eyes Restrict" Fusion Monster or "Relinquished" in your GY; Special Summon it. You can only use each effect of "Illusionist Faceless Magician" once per turn.
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Thousand-Eyes Spell
Market Price: $0.43
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214225_200w.jpg
Activate this Skill during your Main Phase. Once per turn, you can discard 1 card and use 1 of the following Skills, but you cannot conduct your Battle Phase this turn.
• Ritual Summon 1 "Relinquished" from your hand by Tributing a monster from your hand or field whose Level is 1 or more, also flip this card over.
• Fusion Summon 1 "Thousand-Eyes Restrict" from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or field as Fusion Material, also flip this card over.
Buy This Card! https://www.tcgplayer.com/product/214225/yugioh-speed-duel-decks-match-of-the-millennium-thousandeyes-spell
Thousand-Eyes Idol
Market Price: $2.05
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214010_200w.jpg
A wicked entity that controls the hearts of men, its thousand eyes are able to see and expand the negative influences in an individual''s soul.
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Security Orb
Market Price: $0.13
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214063_200w.jpg
When your opponent's monster declares an attack: Target that attacking monster; change that target's battle position. If this Set card is destroyed by your opponent's Spell/Trap effect and sent to the GY: Destroy 1 monster on the field.
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Sonic Bird
Market Price: $0.51
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214039_200w.jpg
When this card is Normal Summoned or Flip Summoned, you can select 1 Ritual Spell Card from your Deck and add it to your hand. Then shuffle your Deck.
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Relinquished
Market Price: $0.24
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/214047_200w.jpg
You can Ritual Summon this card with "Black Illusion Ritual". Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; equip that target to this card (max. 1). This card's ATK/DEF become equal to that equipped monster's. If this card would be destroyed by battle, destroy that equipped monster instead. While equipped with that monster, any battle damage you take from battles involving this card inflicts equal effect damage to your opponent.
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Fulfillment of the Contract
Market Price: $0.12
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Pay 800 Life Points. Select 1 Ritual Monster from your Graveyard, Special Summon it, and equip it with this card. When this card is destroyed, remove the equipped monster from play.
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Djinn Prognosticator of Rituals
Market Price: $0.15
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When you Ritual Summon a Ritual Monster, you can remove from play this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon. When the monster Ritual Summoned using this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, your opponent must select and discard 1 card.
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Toon World
Market Price: $0.38
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Activate this card by paying 1000 LP.
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Polymerization
Market Price: $0.97
ImageURL: https://tcgplayer-cdn.tcgplayer.com/product/183675_200w.jpg
Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or your side of the field as Fusion Materials.
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Black Illusion Ritual
Market Price: $0.27
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This card is used to Ritual Summon "Relinquished". You must also Tribute a monster from your hand or field whose Level is 1 or more.
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Thousand-Eyes Spell is basically a stand-in for Black Illusion Ritual or Polymerization, letting you summon Relinquished or Thousand-Eyes Restrict just by having the right monsters (for tribute, or fusion materials). This deck plays the best low-Level Toons with fewer dead draws, and Fulfillment of the Contract can be really helpful. But overall this sort of feels like playing that Weevil deck where you just hide behind bugs and slowly curl up into a fetal position.

The Djinns are… fine? All in all though, your stuff costs more than Yugi's and your cards are more complicated, so it's clear which deck you should be playing if you're still prioritizing your learner's win rate.

In the grand scheme of things, Match of the Millennium offers a solid teaching experience that may be better suited for someone who's played tabletop games before, and has a little extra patience for heavier card text. You can use it to teach someone the basics in a pinch, but if this is still available in your area then there's a good chance Ultimate Predators is too, and that's an easier place to start. Both are superior to Twisted Nightmares in my opinion, at least when it comes to teaching the game.

That's it! With the global health crisis still ongoing, finding someone to play with can be tough. If your family or roommates are curious, now's a great time to grab a Speed Duel starter, study the cards a little and give them a taste of the game. The Speed Duel: Battle City Box is just a few weeks away, and anyone you teach can become a potential play partner for a Battle City draft or some constructed using the new cards. The Battle City Box is made for at-home play, so having some play partners, you know, at home is really going to come in handy.

Remember: if you've ever tried to teach someone Yu-Gi-Oh in the past, and it went poorly because you were using regular Advanced Format decks? Consider giving it another shot. You really won't believe how easy it is to teach new players with Speed Duel Starters.

It'll be eight or ten bucks well spent, I promise.