Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has taken the world by storm recently and, regardless of how you feel about it in comparison to both the real-world card game or its predecessor Duel Links, Master Duel is a fun and engaging way to play virtual Yu-Gi-Oh! However, with so many cards available in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, it can be daunting to step foot into the game as a beginner.
While Duel Links only have a few sets available at launch with subsequent card expansions being added to the game at different times, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel does away with this in favour of throwing as many cards as it can at you!
For better or worse, this results in so many cards being available when crafting a deck. So, we’re here today to offer some advice on how to build your first Master Duel deck and get to duelling!
Which Starter Deck is the Best?
During your first playthrough of Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, you will be asked to participate in a tutorial to help get your bearings. We highly recommend doing this as it is a great way to prepare for the battles ahead. Additionally, you will also be asked to select a starter deck from three possible options. We strongly recommend you to pick up the Synchro of Unity deck.
Synchro of Unity
Synchro of Unity contains synchro monsters that were introduced in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds. This deck revolves around synchro summoning monsters from one’s extra deck by special summoning regular monsters as often as possible. While this may all sound very confusing especially for those who are not familiar with some of the latter Yu-Gi-Oh! seasons, all of this becomes irrelevant when you take a look at the decklist of Synchro of Unity.
There are some great monsters and spells available here but the grand prize for picking this deck is three copies of the Spell card Mystical Space Typhoon. Veteran Yu-Gi-Oh! players will know just how invaluable this card can be as it allows you to target 1 Spell/Trap card on the field and destroy it. With no additional caveats or punishments for its use, Mystical Space Typhoon can cripple decks reliant on continuous Spell and Trap cards.
Starter Decks are meant to give you a boost in the early game while you collect cards to eventually build your own unique deck. Do not get too hung up on the contents of these beginner decks as you will likely do away with most of their inclusions at a later date. However, Mystical Space Typhoon will likely be a necessary addition to any of your future decks so we recommend picking up the free copies in Synchro of Unity while you have the chance!
How Should I Build My Deck?
Master Duel may still be in its infancy but that does not mean there are not a plethora of high-performing meta decks available to be built already! While you may have to purchase a few (hundred) packs in order to obtain all of the necessary cards, these decks are sure to produce favorable results when competing in PVP.
The King of All Calamities (Virtual World)
This deck focuses on the incredibly powerful card named above and its ability to shut down most of your opponent’s actions. After being summoned, you are given the option to declare one Attribute and, in the same turn, all your opponent’s monsters become that Attribute. Additionally, all of your opponent’s monsters with that Attribute cannot attack or activate their effects.
The King of All Calamities cannot be summoned except by tributing two nine-star monsters, however. While this ordinarily may seem like a tricky task to accomplish, by including the Virtual World cards in your deck, it becomes surprisingly easy. By playing low-cost Virtual World cards, these can be sacrificed in order to summon higher costing Virtual World cards.
Additionally, said Virtual World cards can also be brought back from the grave making it easy to fill your board with monsters. Once you use your flooded board to get two nine-star monsters out, you can tribute them to summon The King of All Calamities and cripple your opponent!
Pros & Cons
Prank-Kids
Prank-Kids is a beatdown deck centered around easy-to-pull off combos and the titular Prank-Kids fusion cards.
Each of the Prank-Kids cards has beneficial effects relating to the Prank-Kids archetype and makes it very easy to take down opponents through a neverending slew of effects.
The deck also makes use of additional cards meant to counter any answer your opponent may have to the Prank-Kids archetype, allow for easier fusion opportunities (see; Prank-Kids Pandemonium), or act as late-game finishers (see; Thunder Dragon Colossus). All in all, the Prank-Kids deck is a great option for budget spenders!
Pros & Cons
What Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Will You Build First?
While it is easy to net deck a top meta set of cards and stomp unsuspecting newcomers on the ranked ladder, we would also recommend trying out some of your own combinations of your favorite cards and see what works and what doesn’t!
Meta decks will only remain at the top, after all, until someone discovers the next best deck used to counter them! With so many cards available in Master Duel, it’s easy to create an entirely unique deck and surprise those who have only prepared to face off against meta sheep!
