SiphonX

The Importance of Ratio
1.11.05

Not happy with your draws lately? Feeling your Monster count needs perked? Are your Monsters feeling they don’t have enough support? These and other questions will be addressed during this article on an all-important concept. This idea is present within all decks, whether you see it or not, and it is the driving force of your successive draws and the like.

Within the world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, one of the most important concepts to grasp is the idea of ratio. In reference to Yu-Gi-Oh!, ratio is best defined as the amount of Monster, Spell, and Trap cards in relation to each other. This concept is most easily illustrated through its appearance in a forty-card deck, which is my focus in today’s article.

Many duelists waive the thought of ratio as an unimportant concept within the realm of their deck, but I feel it is but one of the highest priority. Decks lacking in any of the three card types can suffer in duels, as they are unable to produce field presence, speed, or protection. Of course, ratio is a varying concept in each person’s deck, for each person’s deck defines their ratio. The ratio, in essence, is a manifestation of the theme.

As with any game, convention can be absent in Yu-Gi-Oh!. Such decks that are regarded as unorthodox may not have the same ratio as often-played decks. The Magical Scientist First-Turn-Kill deck fully exemplifies this, often times having a complete absence of Traps and a relatively low monster count. Even still, decks of the same archetype – and theme – can greatly differ in the set amount of cards they use, as one may differ from the other in the manner of premise. As a generic guideline for all deck types, this is what I believe to be a solid method of ratio choice.

The proper amount of Monsters is characterized by the type of deck the player wishes to use. Also, Monsters chosen can have a huge impact upon how many Monsters are necessary. For example, if I were to use four to six Tribute Monsters, my overall Monster count should generally be higher than what is considered normal for the theme. In contrast, if I am able to search for some of my Monsters easily, I might want to use a smaller amount of Monsters, as I would usually have field presence at any rate. Take into consideration how your Spells support your Monsters and you will understand how many Monsters your deck requires.

Spells are generally used to assist the Monster selection at hand, but the ratio of them may not even look reminiscent to that of the Monster count. Though Spells are generally the highest count of card in the deck, many decks use less. It can range anywhere from less than ten to more than twenty-five cards, dependent upon the theme, of course. Decks using low-attack Monsters usually require more Spells to support than, and vice-versa. A good indicator of how many Spells are needed is the influx relying upon speed. If you are looking for a fast, hard-hitting deck with little protection, look to the Spells.

In contrast to Spells, Traps are extremely slow, and thus, are most of the time the type of card that receives the smallest amount of attention. As Quickplay Spell cards and certain Monster cards have abilities akin to that of protective Traps, Trap cards have aged somewhat over the course of the Yu-Gi-Oh! history. However, Trap cards are most certainly an integral part of the success of many deck themes. Though they should almost always have the lowest amount of cards in the deck, even in productive decks, Trap card counts can exceed ten cards. If you feel your deck requires extra protection and/or removal, feel free to add a few more Traps.

By use of this concept of ratio, a player is able to manipulate his deck to better serve himself in a time of need. A player educated in the ways of the ratio can better understand his deck, and by it, know the best ratio for his personal deck type. As one of the largest contributions to the success of a person, ratio can determine whether your deck is a tournament-loser or a tournament-abuser.

Until next time, duel hard, play well, and most importantly, have fun.

~SiphonX~