DSZero's Top Ten rules of Making a Good Deck This comes from 6 years of experience. I've played this game since Volume 2 and I've seen everything. Now, I wish to share some tips for new players so your experiences will be happier then mine... (oh the pain...) 10. Choosing a language. English and Japanese are two very different games now. English has their own sets and card options, while Japanese has their own sets and card options. To be honest, the Japanese cards are cheaper to purchase, has alot more options, alot more themes, and alot more cards, BUT, they are harder to obtain for certain areas of the world (namely Australia, Middle America, Europe...etc). The point is, you should never mix themes unless your transfering between languages slowly. If so, then your considered a Transitional Player. Please note that ALL cards in Chinese are FAKE. All official cards in China are English. Do not use fake cards unless you own the real cards, or is guaranteed to obtain the cards later. This is because people will (yes, they will) see you as a n00b if you just use fake cards instead. Its unfair and it will never allow you to learn from real players because they will kick you away. 9. Choosing an opponent to test a deck with. The obvious, but sometimes unavoidable, mistake that a player makes is testing their decks against a very strong, "veteranized" deck that is far above your level and skill. If you have the option to, always test your decks against weaker, or equally new decks to get the main elements of your deck worked out. Then, and ONLY then, you can start challenging the stronger decks to see what you should do with your deck. Any lose can give you a false sense of failure, that can be hard on a new player to handle. Remember, you'll lose alot, but always learn from each duel to get better. 8. Card covers. Believe it or not, the covers you use on your cards can play a psychological effect on your opponent. Alot of players automatically think a certain way when they see certain cover types. This usually comes from the condition of the covers. When your card covers are shiny, bright, and clean, you look like you haven't played... ever. If your card covers are old, beaten, near-torn, dirty... etc, then the experience shows (just be careful not to wear then down so much that they break apart and damage your cards). Now, the one mistake I see many players do is use clear card covers. This is a big mistake. The back of the cards are vulnerable to easy identification. If you duel someone continuously over a long period of time, anyone could easily recognize repeatedly used cards (this is because sometimes, your cards are damaged in certain areas, or is scratched in certain patterns that are easily recognizable sometimes). This ruins strategy and game mechanics. Other times, you could be a Transitional player (a player moving from either English to Japanese, or Japanese to English) and your opponent will judge your cards depending if its English or Japanese. This is bad because its disruptive to the game. Try to save your clear covers for valuable cards you keep away. Use solid card covers for your deck. 7. Consider popular cards. When building a deck, be aware of popular cards in your metagame. What I mean by metagame is the deck types that are played around your specific area. Don't care about what is being played in Japan (unless your going to duel people there). Care about the opponent's your about to face once you constructed your deck. The commonly played cards are usually Jinzo, Mystical Space Typhoon, Waboku, and Nobleman of the Crossout. Note that all of them could potentially end your deck's theme if you make the mistake of not preparing for them. Find cards that can cancel out, or destroy them to keep your deck alive. Things like anti-monster (Fissure, Smashing Earth, Dark Hole...) and anti-magic/traps (Jinzo, Mystical Space Typhoon, Heavy Storm) can be used to effectively counter your opponent's cards. In fact... you can even make a deck around destroying monsters, magics, and traps... (Field Control :D) Doing alittle research never hurts. 6. God Cards. The only thing "godly" about these 3 cards are the fact that people seem to look up to them like they are useful. They have no effects. They have no effects. THEY HAVE NO EFFECTS. Konami (the JPN game) and Upperdeck (the ENG game) all stated that "The God cards have no effects, therefore they have no rulings and cannot be played in your deck." Don't even bother considering these cards when building your deck. 5. Learning combos and strategies. This can easily be done by watching experienced players play. Please take note that some people make mistakes, while others purposely cheat. Keep your mind open to everything, but always ask others if something seems wrong. If your a real beginner (experience ranging from about a day to a week), then do NOT watch the anime for strategies. About 60% of the anime is not made for real life, only for plot lines. Also, on another subject, not all Japanese players cheat. Only the stupid people cheat, and most of the time, its just English players using Japanese cards. So its actually the already crappy English players being n00bish. (note, I am not saying ALL English players. But you know their out there...) (second note, I did say "not all Japanese players cheat." That still means that there are stupid cheaters out there and I know that.) 4. Practice. All decks have a specific formula, which needs to be discovered by dueling different types of deck types. The best deck to practice against is a generic beatdown since it has no specific theme. 3. Finding a Theme. Themes are broad and diverse. A deck based on indirect lifepoints damage and decks based around fast special summoning are very different. Now, thats not saying that certain deck types work well together, but alot of decks run at it's best when concentrated. This is best represented by the deck theme of "Final Countdown" and "Exodia." You might say that they are basically the same since they both are in Hell, but that has nothing to do with themes of a deck. When you find a theme, see what that them requires. Is it a burn deck? Find cards that can quickly lower your opponent's lifepoints. Is it a specific Magical Scientist deck? Find cards that get both, Magical Scientist and Catapult Turtle to the field as fast as humanly possible. Is it a Return deck? Find fast cards that can return cards to your opponent's hand, then utilize cards that can wipe your opponent's hand empty quickly. This takes alot of experience and lots of testing. Always, always, ALWAYS test out cards until you find the card that accelerates your deck's specific theme. Please note that Beatdown is not a theme, its a playing style. 2. Keep the deck near 40 cards. The game has a delicate balance of speed, power, and luck, and speed/power is nothing without the abilty to draw them. The lower amount of cards you have per deck, the higher the chance you'll have to draw a card you need at the moment that you need them. This is called the "Luck of Draw" 1. Pot of Greed- Gee, I wonder why? The best card in the game, and the first card you should hunt for. End of Topic. Trigger4321@msn.com If you send Hatemail, label your topics accordingly. I will block all who don't. If you insist of flaming me, do so with some dignity too... I dont want to see anymore "GET A LIFE YOU (f-word) (offensive term for homosexuals starting with the letter F)! Thank you for being a mature and considerate person. Also, if I missed something, please ask me. I am always glad to help someone who asks POLITELY and not STUPIDLY. -Demon Samurai Zero <-yeah, thats what the DS means.