Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links is a game that allows players to experience the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise through a unique way to Duel and through the various characters players meet. The game lets players play as characters from the original series, including Yami Yugi, as well as the spin-offs, such as Yusei from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds. The game's vast card catalog has been steadily growing since its release back in 2016.
But one question can be asked: what is the best Deck to have in-game? Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links has different structures that can be used free or purchased via in-game currency or real-world money.
Updated October 13th, 2020 by Johnny Garcia: It's an incredibly exciting time to be a Duel Links player. For the first time in the game's history, cards have been completely banned from the game, making them unplayable entirely. For many, it seemed like this would never happen, especially since even FTK enablers didn't get a punishment that harsh. Not only that, but a new World has come into Duel Links, Zexal. With Zexal, Xyz Summoning has entered into the fray. This is one of the biggest updates the game has seen yet, with more Decks able to enter into the game both new and old.
14 Free To Play: Cyber Angels
Cyber Angels were one of the first Free To Play top tier Decks in all of Duel Links. This was because every single card the Deck needed was obtainable through Alexis Rhodes' Drops. This is still true to this day, with the new cards added to the game included in her Drops as well. Cyber Angels are a fantastic Ritual Deck and remain one of the best ones in all of Duel Links even after all this time. If one doesn't want to dip into their Gems or Wallets, Cyber Angels are a solid Deck choice.
13 Pay For: Blue-Eyes
Blue-Eyes has constantly been a threat in the metagame throughout its history in Duel Links. Due to the insane popularity of the Archetype, new support cards have constantly been released in new Boxes. While the base of a Blue-Eyes Deck is cheap since it's available in an EX Deck, the support it's gotten over the years is what makes it so expensive. Blue-Eyes has cards in multiple Boxes, with many of them being in Main Boxes. This makes it incredibly difficult to pull the cards needed, giving Blue-Eyes a steep price tag.
12 Free To Play: Aroma
Armoa is an incredibly popular Free To Play Deck that has nearly the entire Archetype available from the Card Trader. Thanks to this, an Aroma Deck is one of the most painless Decks to build.
Since Card Trader cards have no randomness outside of having them in the inventory, there is no chance players won't get the cards they need. The rest of the Aroma cards are all available in the Fortress of Gears Mini Box. Thanks to this, it's incredibly easy to get playsets of all the cards needed.
11 Pay For: Karakuri
Karakuri were one of the first good Synchro Archetypes added into Duel Links. Unfortunately, their strengths came at a steep wallet cost. Many of the powerful Karakuri cards are separated from each other in completely different Boxes. In addition, all of the main Karakuri cards the Deck uses have the Super Rare or Ultra Rare rarity. This makes them even harder to pull, and forces players to spend even more to build the Deck. With that being said, the Deck is incredibly powerful, and if money isn't a concern it's very much worth investing in.
10 Free To Play: Dark Magician
Dark Magician is arguably one of the most famous, if not the most famous monster, from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Series and overall franchise. This particular Archetype has cards that can be earned very easily while others must be bought at the Card Shop. Yami Yugi and Arkana will have the Dark Magician card available right off the bat and can earn support cards by leveling up or a player can earn cards by Dueling them.
One card to get is "Magician's Rod" due to its effect of allowing players to add a Spell or Trap card that lists "Dark Magician" upon its Normal Summon. This card can be earned by leveling up Arkana to levels 23 and 38 or through the Card Trader. Other support cards have become available thanks to events and booster boxes like Future Horizon.
9 Pay For: Darklord
Darklords are Dark Attribute, Fairy-Type monsters that specialize in sending cards to the Graveyard and unleashing their might. Despite some of their cards being added to the Forbidden/Limited List, Darklords are still a force to be reckoned with.
One card to absolutely possess in any Darklord Deck is "Darklord Contact," a Spell that Special Summons a Darklord monster from the Graveyard in Defense Position. If this card is used to Special "Darklord Superbia," Superbia's effect allows it to Special Summon one Fairy-type Monster from the Graveyard.
Darklord cards can be bought from the following Booster Boxes: Lords of Shining, Valhalla Calling, and Future Horizon.
8 Free To Play: Invoked
Invoked is one of the most fluid Archetypes in recent years thanks to its compatibility with various cards. For Duel Links, this Archetype relies on powerful Fusion Monsters to instantly win a Duel.
There are two important cards that make this Archetype work: "Aleister the Invoker" and "Invocation."Aleister the Invoker's effect adds the "Invocation" Spell card to the player's hand upon Normal or Flip Summon. Invocation lets the player Fusion Summon an "Invoked" Fusion Monster with material from the Hand, Field and either player's Graveyard. These cards will need to be purchased at the Card Shop in the Booster Box Dark Dimension with either in-game currency or real-world money.
7 Pay For: Ritual Beast
Ritual Beasts' mission is to contact Fusion Summon and search out their comrades. One of the most significant cards to possess is "Ritual Beast Tamer Elder," as its effect allows the additional Normal Summon of another Ritual Beast Monster.
Another major player is "Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk," a Contact Fusion Monster whose ability allows the player to return two Banished Ritual Beasts cards to their Deck to add another from their Deck to the Hand. Ritual Beast cards can be purchased from the following Booster Boxes: Galactic Origin and Spirit of the Beast.
6 Free To Play: Shiranui
Shiranui Monsters are zombie samurai whose effects trigger when Banished and is a strong Synchro Archetype. It also a lot of room for variety. Because of this, they are one of the strongest decks to utilize in Duel Links.
Right now, one of the best cards to utilize for any Shiranui deck is “That Grass Looks Greener.” Its effect allows a player to send cards from their deck to the graveyard in order to match the number of cards the opponent's Deck has. Then players just need to Banish the right Shiranui monsters from the Graveyard to activate their effects, which should be investigated beforehand. For getting the Shiranui monsters, players must head to the Card Shop to purchase booster packs from Soul of Resurrection.
5 Pay For: Blackwings
Yugioh 5Ds' Blackwing Monsters specialize in swarming the field and Synchro Summoning. This is a Deck that players will have to buy but is worth it in the end. They can be purchased in the booster box Aerial Assault. Cards can also be acquired by leveling up or dueling Crow Hogan in-game.
When using this deck, it is important for players to know which Blackwings to use at any given moment. But one card that should absolutely be included in a Blackwing deck is "Black Whirlwind." Its effect allows the player to add a Blackwing Monster from their Deck to their Hand that has fewer attack points than the one they Normal Summoned. This card is a Continuous Spell so its effect can be utilized every turn.
4 Free To Play: Cyber Dragon
Yu-Gi-Oh GX’s Cyber Dragons emphasize Fusion Summoning in conjunction with doing significant damage. There are many variations to these decks but they all should at least have three important cards: "Cyber Dragon Core," "Cyberload Fusion," and "Cybernetic Overflow."
"Cyber Dragon Core" is a Monster that can let a player add a "Cyber" Spell or Trap to their Hand from the Deck. Thanks to this, players can get "Cyberload Fusion" or "Cybernetic Overflow" right away. The main drawback to "Cyberload Fusion" is that it can only utilize cards that are on the Field and Banished to perform a Fusion Summon of a Cyber monster. As for "Cybernetic Overflow," it can be used to get rid of Spells and Traps by Banishing Cyber Dragon Monsters with varying levels from the Hand, Graveyard or Field.
Cyber Dragon cards can be purchased in the following booster boxes: Galactic Origin, Cybernetic Rebellion and Future Horizon. There are also cards that can be acquired by leveling up or dueling Zane Truesdale in-game.
3 Pay For: Crystrons
Crystrons are Machine-Type Monsters that focus on Synchro Summoning. Their primary methods for Synchro Summoning are swarming the Field to go into powerful Synchro Monsters. Non-Tuner Monsters can summon their Tuner brethren through their different effects and the Tuners can perform Synchro Summoning during the opponent's turn.
One card, "Crystron Rion," is a Tuner Monster that can Summon a Banished non-Tuner Monster during the opponent's Main or Battle Phase and perform a Synchro Summon immediately with that monster. Crystrons can be purchased in the following Boxes: Cybernetic Rebellion and Spirit of the Beast.
2 Free To Play: Gaia The Fierce Knight
Gaia The Fierce Knight is one of Yugi's most memorable Monsters from the original Yu-Gi-Oh! And his cards are thankfully very easy to acquire for free and through payment. Thanks to Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links, there are both free and paid ways to acquire Gaia cards.
Essential cards have become available in the Burning Nova and Masters of Chaos Booster Boxes. Gaia is a great deck to have because of the little amount of purchasing power required on the players' part.
1 Pay For: Neos Fusion
Yu-Gi-Oh GX’s "Elemental Hero Neos" and Neo-Spacian monsters have a strong presence in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links. Their primary objective is to Contact Fusion Summon powerful Neos monsters.
One useful card is "Neos Fusion," a Spell card that Special Summons a Neos Fusion Monster by sending the required material cards from the Hand, Deck or Field to the Graveyard. It can also be Banished from the Graveyard to prevent a Neos Contact Fusion Monster from returning to the Extra Deck during the end phase or being Destroyed.
Neos and Neo-Spacian cards can be bought from the following: the Booster Box Galactic Origin and the structure deck Neos Fusion.