If you’re planning to get into the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG, or any video games, such as Duel Links or Legacy of the Duelist, it’s important to know about archetypes. Archetypes are essential to know about, as the construction of a competitive or even a casual deck depends on which type you plan on utilizing. But what are these archetypes, and how many of them exist in Yu-Gi-Oh!? Let’s go over everything that you need to know about archetypes in Yu-Gi-Oh!

What are archetypes?

Essentially, Yu-Gi-Oh! Archetypes are the family of cards that a particular one belongs to. And the family of cards, by the way, has nothing to do with a card’s monster type or the attribute. Rather, it has to do with regards to which group of cards belong to each other.

To see which archetype a card belongs to, look no further to the name, not its attribute. To illustrate, let’s take a look at an example with one of the more popular cards that have been used in the metagame for well over a decade: Cyber Dragon.

Cyber Dragon belongs to the Cyber archetype, including this card and other support cards that complement the crux of the deck. These support cards include, and again, let’s use the Cyber archetype as an example, monster, spell, and trap cards that work well with said archetypes. For our Cyber Dragon example, these support cards would include Cyber Dragon Drei (monster card), Cyber Repair Plant (spell card, and Cyber Network (trap card), among others. These examples have the word ‘Cyber’, meaning that all of these cards belong to the said archetype.

However, keep in mind that not all cards with a specific term in their name belong to that archetype. An example of this would be the monster card Cyber Stein, which can summon a Fusion monster from the special deck at the cost of 5000 life points. While this card would have some synergy with a Cyber Deck, considering it uses Fusion monsters such as Cyber Twin Dragon and Cyber End Dragon, it does not belong to the Cyber archetype. Suppose the card does have a similar name to another but has no relation to any said archetype card. In that case, it most likely does not have any relationship to it (If you are still unsure and want to check, a way to find out is to look at the Japanese translation. This would indicate whether there is a relationship).

It’s important to know which cards belong to which archetype, as in most cases, you don’t want to have random cards assembled into a deck. Rather, you want to use good monster, spell, and trap cards that revolve around one particular archetype and complement the cards that make it pop. Additionally, it’s also wise to look at trending decks, as in some cases, you can integrate one archetype with another. An example of this is with Destiny HERO and Elemental HERO cards, as both have some synergy with the Change archetype.

List of Yu-Gi-Oh! Archetypes

Here’s a listing of the Yu-Gi-Oh! archetypes that currently exist in the card game, sorted alphabetically:

/

  • /Assault Mode

@

  • @Ignister

A

B

  • B.E.S.BabyBamboo SwordBarbarosBarian (archetype)Barian’sBatterymanBattleguardBattlewaspBattlin’ BoxerBeast’s BattleBeastborgBlack Luster Soldier (archetype)BlackwingBlackwing TamerBlaze Accelerator (archetype)Blue-EyesBondingBorrelBounzerBujinBurning AbyssBuster Blader (archetype)ButterflyButterspy

C

  • C (archetype)CarrierCatCat Girl (archetype)CelestialCeltic GuardCenozoicChampionChangeChaosCharmerChemicritterChronomalyChrysalisCicadaCipherCipher DragonClearClear WingClock KnightCloudianCode Talker (archetype)CodebreakerComics HeroConstellarCookpalCrusadiaCrystalCrystal BeastCrystronCubicCubic SeedCXyzCyberCyber AngelCyber Dragon (archetype)CyberdarkCyberneticCynet

D

  • D-ScaleD/DD/D/DDanger!DanteDark ContractDark Magician (archetype)Dark Magician Girl (archetype)Dark MummyDark ScorpionDark Tuner (archetype)Dark WorldDarklordDarkness (archetype)DartDeskbotDestiny HERODestruction SwordDice (archetype)DinomistDinowrestlerDizzyDjinnDododoDogDogmatikaDollDoll MonsterDoll PartDoodleDoodle BeastDracoslayerDracoverlordDragonmaidDragunityDream MirrorDrone (archetype)DruidDrytronDual AvatarDuel DragonDustonDyson

E

  • Earth (archetype)EarthboundEarthbound ImmortalEarthbound ServantEco SpellEdge ImpElder EntityEldlichEldlixirElemental HEROElemental LordElementsaberElfEmissary of DarknessEmpowered WarriorEndymionEvil EyeEvil HEROEvil★TwinEvolsaurEvoltileEvolution PillEvolzarExodiaEyes Restrict

F

  • F.A.FabledFairy (archetype)Familiar-PossessedFire FistFire FormationFire KingFire King AvatarFishborgFlamvellFlower CardianFluffalForbidden (archetype)Forbidden BeastForbidden OneFortune FairyFortune LadyFossilFrightfurFrightfur UnitFrogFur HireFusion (archetype)Fusion Dragon

G

  • GadgetGagagaGaia The Fierce Knight (archetype)GalaxyGalaxy-EyesGalaxy-Eyes Tachyon DragonGandora (archetype)GeargiaGeargiano (archetype)Gem-Gem-KnightGem-Knight LadyGeneraiderGenexGhostrickGimmick PuppetGishkiGladiator BeastGo-D/DGoblinGogogoGolden LandGorgonicGottomsGoukiGoyoGranelGravekeeper’sGraydleGuardGuardianGustoGuts Master

H

  • Hand (archetype)HarpieHazyHazy FlameHeart MonsterHeavy IndustryHelixxHellHeraldicHeraldic BeastHeraldryHEROHeroicHeroic ChallengerHeroic ChampionHi-SpeedroidHieraticHoleHorus the Black Flame DragonHunderHydradrive

I

  • Ice BarrierIgknightImpcantationInfernityInfernoidInfestationInfinitrackInmato (archetype)InuInvokedInzektorIron ChainIvy

J

  • JesterJester PuppetJinzo (archetype)JunkJunk RobotJurracJutte

K

  • Kabuki StageKaijuKarakuriKi-sikilKingKnightKnightmareKoa’ki MeiruKoalaKozmoKrawlerKuriboh (archetype)

L

  • LampLandstarLaundsallynLavalLegendary DragonLegendary KnightLightswornLil-laLine MonsterLive☆TwinLswarmLunalightLVLyrilusc

M

  • MachinaMachine AngelMadolcheMagic ElfMagical MusketMagician (archetype)Magician GirlMagistusMagna WarriorMagnetMagnet WarriorMajespecterMajesticMaleficMalicevorousMantisMarincessMasked HEROMathmechMayakashiMecha Phantom BeastMegalithMekk-KnightMeklordMeklord ArmyMeklord AstroMeklord EmperorMelffyMelodiousMelodious MaestraMelodious SongstressMermailMesozoicMetalfoesMetaphysMirror ImagineMist ValleyMonarchMorphtronicMosquitoMotorMythical BeastMyutant

N

  • NaturiaNecrovalley (archetype)NekoNekrozNeo-SpacianNeosNephthysNimbleNinjaNinjitsu ArtNitroNoble ArmsNoble KnightNordicNordic AlfarNordic AscendantNordic BeastNordic RelicNumberNumber 10XNumber 39: Utopia (archetype)Number CNumber C10XNumber C39Number C39: Utopia Ray (archetype)Number SNumeronNumeron GateNumeronius

O

  • Odd-EyesOjamaOld EntityOnomatOrcustOuter Entity

P

  • PaleozoicPalladiumPapillonParasiteParshathPendulum (archetype)Pendulum DragonPendulumgraphPendulumstatuePenguinPerformagePerformapalPhantasmPhantasm SpiralPhantom BeastPhantom ButterflyPhantom KnightsPhotonPixiePlunder PatrollPolymerization (archetype)PossessedPotanPower ToolPrank-KidsPredapPredaplantPrediction PrincessPriestessProphecyPSY-FramePSY-FramegearPuppet

Q

  • QliQuizQuiz Panel

R

  • R-GenexRaccoonRaidraptorRank-Down-MagicRank-Up-MagicReactorRebellion (archetype)Red (archetype)Red Dragon Archfiend (archetype)Red-EyesRelinquished (archetype)ReptilianneResonatorRikkaRitual BeastRitual Beast TamerRitual Beast Ulti-RoidRokketRoland (archetype)RoseRose DragonRoyal Cookpal

S

  • SaberSalamangreatScrapSealSecret Six SamuraiSecurity ForceShaddollShamanShark (archetype)ShienShiningShiranuiShiranui Spectralsword (archetype)Silent Magician (archetype)Silent Swordsman (archetype)SimorghSix SamuraiSkielSkiel Attack (archetype)SkySky StrikerSky Striker AceSkyblasterSkyscraper (archetype)SlimeSmileSnakeSpeed Spell (archetype)SpeedroidSpell SpiceSpellbookSphereSphinxSpiceSpirit (archetype)Spirit GemSpirit MessageSpiritual BeastSpiritual Earth ArtSpiritual Fire ArtSpiritual Water ArtSpiritual Wind ArtSpriggunsSproutSPYRALSPYRAL GEARSPYRAL MISSIONStar SeraphStardust (archetype)StarshipStarving VenemyStarving VenomStatueSteelswarmStellarknightStoneStormriderStrainStray Cat (archetype)SubterrorSubterror BehemothSunavalonSunvineSuper Defense RobotSuper QuantSuper Quantal Mech BeastSuper QuantumSuperheavySuperheavy SamuraiSuperheavy Samurai SoulSupreme KingSupreme King DragonSupreme King GateSylvanSymphonic WarriorSynchro DragonSynchron

T

  • T.G.TachyonTachyon DragonTellarknightTentaclusterTenyiThe AgentThe Phantom KnightsThe WeatherThorn PrisonerThunder Dragon (archetype)Time ThiefTimelordTindangleToonTopTopologinaToyToy (ARC-V archetype)Trap Hole (archetype)Trap MonsterTraptrixTri-BrigadeTriamidTrickstarTrue Draco and True King

U

  • U.A.Ultimate CrystalUmbral HorrorUnchainedUnchained SoulUtopia (archetype)UtopicUtopic Future

V

  • V (archetype)V (GX archetype)ValkyrieVampireVehicroidVendreadVenomVigilanteVirtual WorldVirtual World GateVision HEROVoidVolcanicVylon

W

  • WWarrior (archetype)WattWhiteWhite KnightWicked RuneWind-UpWindwitchWinged Kuriboh (archetype)WiselWisel Attack (archetype)Wisel Guard (archetype)Wisel Top (archetype)WitchcrafterWorld ChaliceWorld LegacyWorm

X

  • X (archetype)X-SaberXyzXyz Dragon

Y

  • YYang ZingYomiYosenjuYubel (archetype)

Z

  • ZZ-ONE (archetype)ZefraZEXAL (archetype)Zombie counterpartZoodiacZS –ZubabaZW –

Archtypes listed via FANDOM.