If you have just started playing Duel Links or you simply haven’t opened the game in a while, you are probably looking at the Shop, wondering where to start. After all, this game has been out for over two years, and the amount of options available at this point is quite overwhelming. You do, however, have a limited amount of resources, so I am going to try and direct you towards what’s relevant at the moment.
For starters, let’s talk about some of the most popular cards in the game like right now—mostly Spell and Trap Cards that can fit in pretty much any deck. These cards have proven to be a great investment for many players by remaining relevant for a very long time and should be one of your primary foci, if you have just started playing the game.
The cards are sorted by Type and Rarity |
Available from the very first main box, Sphere Kuriboh has remained relevant as a pretty strong hand trap to stop attacks. However, most of the cards from the first box aren't all that good anymore, so it's important to take that into consideration.
If you're willing to spend some real money, you can buy 1 copy of this in the shop section under "Special" tab. Otherwise, you can get it from the Selection Box Vol. 01 when they come back, or use a UR Dream Ticket.
D.D. Crow | DARK Winged Beast ★1 ATK 100 / DEF 100 |
Shining Hope [UR] Selection Box Vol.05 [UR] | |
During either player's turn: You can discard this card to the Graveyard to target 1 card in your opponent's Graveyard; banish that target. |
Best Counter Tech in the current meta. Great Disruption effect to stop your opponent's combo by graveyard effect activation or monster reviving.
Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon | DARK Dragon ★4 ATK 2500 / DEF 2000 |
Phantom of Rebellion [UR] | |
2 Level 4 monsters You can detach 2 Xyz Materials from this card, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; its ATK becomes half its current ATK, and if it does, this card gains that lost ATK. |
A pretty decent generic rank 4 to help get over just about any monster, as long as they can be targeted. Its effect pretty much means that you can deal 2500 damage to your opponent, but it's only usable once since it uses 2 materials.
It's definitely a good addition if you plan on playing decks that use a lot of level 4 monsters, but it's not a "core" card in any deck.
Abyss Dweller | WATER Sea Serpent ★4 ATK 1700 / DEF 1400 |
Photons of Galaxy [UR] | |
2 Level 4 monsters While this card has an Xyz Material attached that was originally WATER, all WATER monsters you control gain 500 ATK. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; any card effects that activate in your opponent's Graveyard cannot be activated this turn. |
Abyss Dweller is used like a monster version of Necrovalley that's accessible to any Rank-4 spam Deck. Another benefit of running Abyss Dweller is, unlike Necrovalley, it does not affect your own graveyard so you're still able to activate graveyard effects.
Make sure to toggle your chain from "Auto" to "On" so you can use Abyss Dweller at the start of the opponent's turn where it is most effective. Chaining Abyss Dweller to an effect activation would not negate that effect.
Number 70: Malevolent Sin | DARK Insect ★4 ATK 2400 / DEF 1200 |
Photons of Galaxy [SR] | |
2 Level 4 monsters Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; banish it until your opponent's next Standby Phase. At the end of the Damage Step, if this card attacked: You can make this card gain 300 ATK, and if you do, increase its Rank by 3. |
Even though this only temporarily banishes your opponent's monster, using this on your opponent's Xyz monster will also remove all of their materials. It's also great to use if your opponent only controls 1 monster on the field, allowing you to attack directly which can often lead to an OTK.
Steelswarm Roach | DARK Fiend ★4 ATK 1900 / DEF 0 |
Photons of Galaxy [SR] | |
2 Level 4 monsters During either player's turn, when a Level 5 or higher monster would be Special Summoned: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; negate the Special Summon, and if you do, destroy it. |
This has somewhat limited use since it mostly works against certain kinds of special summoning like synchro, pendulum, or ones that special summons from the hand. Against opponents that happen to need them, having this on your field can shut them down pretty hard, or at the very least, make them do a weaker play.
Dark Hole | Normal Spell |
Future Circuit [SR] | |
Destroy all monsters on the field. |
Techs to wipe out all monsters on the field but you need to use it wisely since this effect is applied on yours as well.
Mystical Space Typhoon | Quick Spell |
Antinomic Theory [UR] Selection Box Vol.03 Mini [UR] | |
Target 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field; destroy that target. |
There are many powerful spells and traps in the game, so having a quick and easy removal card like this helps a lot. It can be used in just about any deck, but it's not actually crucial. If you're not sure about which UR to get when you have something like a UR Dream Ticket, this is one of the safest choice out there at the moment, and might potentially last quite a long time.
The Antinomic Theory box provides some T.G. archetype, so you can roll the main box if you're interested. Otherwise, the selection box vol.03 mini provides many other good options.
Cosmic Cyclone | Quick Spell |
Galactic Origin [UR] Selection Box Vol. 01 Mini [UR] | |
Pay 1000 LP, then target 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field; banish it. |
Pretty similar to Mystical Space Typhoon, but banishing a spell/trap card is a stronger form of removal compared to MST. This prevents certain spells/traps from activating in the grave when destroyed. It comes at a cost of 1000 LP, but this can actually be beneficial since some character skills require low LP.
Similar to Sphere Kuriboh, this is available in an old box with many cards that aren't that relevant anymore. You can buy 1 copy of this with real money from the shop's "Special" tab, or go with the Selection Box Vol. 01 Mini if you're a new player.
Forbidden Chalice | Quick Spell |
Servants of Kings [SR] Selection Box Vol. 01 Mini [SR] Special Set Bundle Sale [SR] | |
Target 1 face-up monster on the field; until the end of this turn, that target gains 400 ATK, but its effects are negated. |
Normal monsters are rarely ever used anymore, so the odds of this being useful in a duel are usually pretty high. Monsters effects used in the early turns are what allows them to extend to long combos that can lead to a full board, having Chalice to stop their combos can be a game winning factor.
Being a quick-play spell also makes this quite good since you can use it both offensively or defensively.
Forbidden Lance | Quick Spell |
Valhalla Calling [UR] Selection Box Vol. 02 Mini [UR] Special Set Bundle Sale [UR] | |
Target 1 face-up monster on the field; until the end of this turn, that target loses 800 ATK, but is unaffected by the effects of other Spell/Trap Cards. |
Chalice is used to prevent combos, while Lance is the card to ensure that you can perform those combos uninterrupted.
Can be used offensively or defensively depending on whose monster you target. Firstly, you can use Forbidden Lance to protect a monster from removal and other harmful effects. Alternatively, you can use it as a significant 800 ATK debuff on an opponent's monster.
Book of Moon | Quick Spell |
Chaotic Soldiers [UR] Selection Box Vol.04 [UR] | |
Target 1 face-up monster on the field; change that target to face-down Defense Position. |
Highly versatile for defense and control purposes. For example, you can flip a newly summoned monster face-down so that your opponent can't follow up with a Synchro or Xyz play.
Enemy Controller | Quick Spell |
Seto Kaiba [SR] Seto Kaiba (DSOD) [SR] Ranked Rewards [SR] | |
Activate 1 of these effects.● Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change that target's battle position.● Tribute 1 monster, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; take control of that target until the End Phase. |
Versatile Quick-Play Spell that can be used to protect your monsters and/or your Life Points, or to take control of an opponent’s monster. Enemy Controller is currently Semi-Limited.
Crackdown | Continuous Trap |
Selection Box Vol.02 Super Mini [UR] | |
Activate by targeting 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; take control of that monster. While you control that monster, it cannot attack or activate effects. When that monster leaves the field, destroy this card. |
Great Disruption Tech not only allows you to take control 1 Face-Up monster your opponent control but also you can use that monster for Link Summoning.
Warning Point | Normal Trap |
Link Revolution [UR] | |
When a monster(s) is Summoned: This turn, that face-up monster(s) cannot attack, its effects are negated, also it cannot be used as material for a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Summon. |
Another good tech to disrupt your opponent by targeting a Face-Up monster you opponent control from Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Link Summoning Combo. It can also stop that targeted monster from attacking and its effect also be negated.
Karma Cut | Normal Trap |
Arena of Sanctuary [SR] Selection Box Vol. 02 Mini [SR] | |
Discard 1 card, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; banish that target, then banish all cards with the same name as that monster from your opponent's Graveyard. |
Banishing is a great form of removal since it's usually harder to recover banished cards. Also, the added effect of banishing similar copies from the graveyard can occasionally be useful to disrupt graveyard setup. The discard effect can actually be helpful in some Decks that need the graveyard setup.
Treacherous Trap Hole | Normal Trap |
Visions of Ice [SR] Selection Box Vol. 02 Mini [SR] | |
If you have no Trap Cards in your Graveyard: Target 2 monsters on the field; destroy those targets. |
A Trap Card with a minor activation requirement and the ability to destroy two monsters on the field. Treacherous Trap Hole is currently Semi-Limited.
Black Rose Dragon | FIRE Dragon ★7 ATK 2400 / DEF 1800 |
Blazing Rose [UR] | |
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can destroy all cards on the field. Once per turn: You can banish 1 Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard, then target 1 Defense Position monster your opponent controls; change that target to face-up Attack Position, and if you do, its ATK becomes 0 until the end of this turn. |
To any Deck that can make Level-7 Synchros on demand, Black Rose Dragon is a great addition to your toolbox. Summon it when you want to get rid of the opponent's entire board. And if you can follow up with summoning a powerful monster, you can hit the opponent with a huge direct attack.
Sphere Kuriboh | DARK Fiend ★1 ATK 300 / DEF 200 |
The Ultimate Rising [UR] Selection Box Vol. 01 [UR] | |
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. |
Available from the very first main box, Sphere Kuriboh has remained relevant as a pretty strong hand trap to stop attacks. However, most of the cards from the first box aren't all that good anymore, so it's important to take that into consideration.
If you're willing to spend some real money, you can buy 1 copy of this in the shop section under "Special" tab. Otherwise, you can get it from the Selection Box Vol. 01 when they come back, or use a UR Dream Ticket.
Kiteroid | WIND Machine ★1 ATK 200 / DEF 400 |
Card Trader [SR] | |
Activate when you discard this card from your hand during damage calculation after a direct attack. Any Battle Damage you would receive from that direct attack becomes 0. Only once, if you remove this card from the game when it is in your Graveyard, any Battle Damage you would receive from a direct attack becomes 0. |
Another amazing low-Level monster that can allow you to survive an OTK. Kiteroid has been Semi-Limited pretty much right after its release.
Divine Wrath | Counter Trap |
Valkyrie's Rage [UR] | |
When a monster effect is activated: Discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that monster. |
Compared to Forbidden Chalice, being a trap card makes it slower to use, but this one will destroy the affected monster and can also negate effects outside of your opponent's field. The cost of discard can be good in certain decks that makes use of the graveyard.
Floodgate Trap Hole | Normal Trap |
Generation Next [UR] Bundle Set Sale [UR] | |
When your opponent Summons a monster(s): Change that monster(s) to face-down Defense Position. Monsters changed to face-down Defense Position by this effect cannot change their battle positions. |
Trap Card that’s generally used to slow down the opponent by locking a monster that has just been Summoned in face-down Defense Position.
Paleozoic Canadia | Normal Trap |
Valiant Souls [UR] Bundle Set Sale [UR] | |
Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change it to face-down Defense Position. Once per Chain, when a Trap Card is activated while this card is in your Graveyard: Special Summon this card as a Normal Monster (Aqua-Type/WATER/Level 2/ATK 1200/DEF 0). (This card is NOT treated as a Trap Card.) If Summoned this way, this card is unaffected by monster effects, also banish it when it leaves the field. |
Similar to Floodgate Trap Hole, Paleozoic Canadia can flip monsters face-down, but it’s more versatile and it has an additional effect that allows you to Special Summon it from the Graveyard as Level 2 monster.
These are the Decklists we recommended for new players to start investing :
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