Spell Cards are the second most used card-type in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. As Yugi himself stated early on in the anime, decks cannot be built on Monsters Cards alone but on Spells that can support them. Those rules have always applied and continue to do so as Traps become secondary support cards. However, there are many types of Spells to choose from, each with its own benefits and play styles.
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From cards that attach themselves to monsters to some that can be activated on your opponent’s turn, each one has its ups and downs, with some being far superior gameplay-wise than others. So which Spell types have the tightest grip on the meta?
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Ritual Spell
A Middle Man For Ritual Summoning
Ritual Spells are some of the weakest Spells despite being a necessity in some decks. This is because they often need other cards in order to do anything in the first place. Ritual Spells can be used to Ritual Summon a Ritual Monster from your hand as long as you have the right monster levels to use as Tribute.
Many Ritual Cards have a specific monster they can Summon, while others give you just a bit more flexibility. This means you can use it to Ritual Summon something from within the Archetype, but if you use it for a specific monster, you get an added effect. Some Ritual Spells even allow you to Ritual Summon from other locations such as the graveyard or can be banished from the grave for an additional effect. Overall, they are not the greatest Spells in the game, but continue to improve with time.
5
Equip Spell
Can Attach Themselves To Anything
The idea behind Equip Spells is simple. If you have a monster on the field, you can give it a weapon that will boost its strength. Equip Spells are some of the less useful cards unless an Archetype is specifically built around them. Even so, those Archetypes often have their own specific Spells that they use, which doesn’t make the rest any better.
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However, Equip Spells have interesting rules in play that are unique to the type. For example, you can attach them to your opponent’s monsters as long as there’s no specific card text that says otherwise. Some of the best cards in this category include Snatch Steal, Smoke Grenade Of The Thief, and Cursed Armaments. There are even some cards that can steal your opponent’s monsters by turning them into Equip Cards, such as Relinquished Anima. Meanwhile, other Archetypes, such as Fiendsmiths, use some of your own monsters as Equip Spells.
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Continuous Spell
Continuous Benefits
Continuous Spells love to stay on the field and can offer many benefits similar to Field Spells. However, they also have their differences. For starters, you can place as many of these as you want in your Spell and Trap Zone. They can also give you similar benefits, such as boosting a monster’s attack or adding additional rules that players have to follow while it is face-up on the field.
Of course, Continuous Spells are susceptible to being destroyed since they need to be face-up on the field to keep their effects active. However, the best Continuous Spells offer some form of protection for your monsters, which only adds another obstacle for your opponent to deal with when they want to break your board. Another added effect that they get just from being a Continuous Spell is that you can bounce them back to your hand if necessary.
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Field Spell
A Massive Buff For Select Decks
Field Spells started out as simple buffs to specific Monster types and attributes. However, as the game progressed, they became more powerful within the Archetypes that were lucky enough to receive them. This is because they offer more than Continuous Spells, such as protection, attack buffs, and extensions that blanket the entire field. Some Field Spells have multiple effects at once, making them a vital part of many strategies.
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An example of this includes Cyber Dragons using Clockwork Night to turn every monster on the field into a Machine so that they can be used as proper material for some of their Fusion Monsters. Another would be how Sangen Summoning gives you immediate value by letting you search for a Tenpai Dragon from the deck while also protecting your Fire Dragons. It’s these searchers in particular that make Field Spells so valuable.
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Normal Spell
The Most Common Spell
One of the most common Spells you will find in any deck is the Normal Spells. They may not have any special properties outside of performing their needed effect, but they are abundant and feature some of the strongest cards. Triple Tactics Thrust, Raigeki, Change of Heart, and the forever-banned Pot of Greed. Most Normal Spells give you some kind of immediate advantage but can only be played during your Main Phases.
Some of the best Normal Spells allow you to Special Summon a monster from the deck. This is usually limited to whichever Archetype the Spell is a part of but can make for a great starter that doesn’t use up your Normal Summon for the turn. It’s this kind of utility that comes in handy during a duel. Almost every good deck has a selection of viable Normal Spells they can splash in.
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Quick-Play Spell
Versatile And Deadly
Quick-Play Spells are one of the best Spell types in the game. This is because you can play them during your Main Phase like usual, or you can spring them during your opponent’s turn like Traps. To do this, you just need to place them face-down and have them there during your opponent’s turn.
The only downside is that you have to commit to how you want to use a Quick-Play Spell. If you plan to set it, then you cannot activate it on the same turn. Luckily, some great cards are well worth the wait. This includes Super Polymerization, Called By The Grave, or Cosmic Cyclone, all of which give you value whether you’re trying to stop your opponent from continuing their plays or need them to break a board when they least expect it.
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