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 Deck Construction Basics

Deck Construction Basics

 

Created By

 

Demon Inuyasha

 

 

Contents

 

 

Section I.

 

I. Theme

II. Key Cards

III. Rough Draft

IV. Play Testing

V. Final Product

 

Section II.

 

I. Demonstration

 

Ending Note

 

 

Section I.

 

 

 

 

I. Theme

 

 

            Theme is the essence of every deck. No matter what, a deck will have a theme. I do not care what you say. All decks have a theme! The theme plays a major part in deciding what strategies you€™re going to use the deck for. Come on, an all out offensive stratagem using a stall deck just isn€™t going to happen. This is the first step you have to take when constructing a deck. If I catch you not doing this I will go to your house and beat the crap out of you yelling, €œWhat the heck were you thinking you insolent fool!€ If you don€™t think on the theme how can you expect the deck to come out good?

            You can€™t just select cards you think will work together without thinking. I use to do that all the time, and I€™d wind up making so many hard choices it wasn€™t funny. Once you pick a theme, the choices become easier because you know exactly what you need to make the theme work. I€™m telling you all, this does work. It may not work for all, but for a major percentage it most likely will. Remember, theme is the essence of every deck.

 

            Deck Themes

 

Instant Win: Offensive & Defensive Exodia & Final

 

Direct Damage: Burn & Toon

 

Power: Beat Down & Aggro

 

One Turn Kill: Scientist

 

Type: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Dark, & Light 

 

            These are just some deck themes. I didn€™t post every single one, that€™d be to much work. In the world of Duel Monsters there are several, you just need to discover them. With each new set, new ideas come forth. As this little saying goes, more cards are more power. 

 

 

II. Key Cards

 

 

            Key cards…possibly the moost stressing dilemma you will encounter, but if you chose your theme it shouldn€™t be so nerve-racking. How should I put this, okay, here we go. Key cards are the few actual cards that serve a true purpose in your deck. Like an Exodia deck without Exodia or a Beat Down deck without field destruction would just be pointless. There are also cards that we in the dueling world call staples. Many people have different opinions on what are staple cards, but I have managed to find seven that are the most prominent.

 

Change of Heart

Monster Reborn

Mirror Force

Pot of Greed

Graceful Charity

Raigeki

Harpie€™s Feather Duster

 

            I know that is most likely not all. Like I said, the most PROMINENT meaning most important. I just don€™t understand though, Magic Cylinder was once considered good, but now, it is crap. Anyways, I still use it. Again, I define key cards as the only cards in a deck that actually serve a true purpose in the running the deck.

 

            Of course, these are prominent right now. UDE has deciding to screw around with use by outlawing most of these cards (I€™m sure which ones, but thank god that damned raven Yata-Garasu will be on it). According to their little news bulletin tournaments will have a choice of use ban format or no ban format, so that€™s good.

 

 

III. Rough Draft

 

 

            This is where it gets crucial. You should have done everything as I have said to now. Selecting a theme, picking out key cards and others to match. Now, you should make a deck list and either hand write it or type it. After that I would go through and eliminate everything that isn€™t really needed to reach a specific card count. Here€™s a tip, don€™t go over forty-five cards, cause that is really pushing it. As you go along you€™ll find things you€™ll want to remember so I€™ll leave finding them up to you.

 

            The reason I say don€™t go over forty-five is because a massive deck makes for a hard game. You know something; I€™m going to do a little math here. You€™re in a duel and a Monster Reborn could really save your hide right now. Say you use a fifty-card deck and you have already ran through half of it and haven€™t gotten your Monster Reborn yet. So there€™s a one in twenty-five chance of drawing, percentage it€™s 4% chance. Now say it was really a forty-card deck (same situation) and you€™ve run through twenty-five cards. That makes it one in fifteen, a higher odd for drawing that Monster Reborn, and the percentage would be…67% for drawing it. Hmmmmmmm…yeah, I€™ll take the forty-card deck any day.