Monster Cards (Japanese: モンスターカード Monsutā Kādo) represent monsters that players battle against each other or directly against either player during the Battle Phase. Monsters are the main focus of Duel Monsters.[clarification needed]
Contents
CharacteristicsEdit
TCG/OCG/Rush DuelEdit
Monster Cards have several different properties, including name, Attribute, Level or Rank or Link Rating, Type, ATK, and DEF. They are primarily subdivided according to their frame color, into Normal Monsters, Effect Monsters, Fusion Monsters, Ritual Monsters, Synchro Monsters, Xyz Monsters, Pendulum Monsters, Link Monsters and Monster Tokens. Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel has Normal, Effect, and Fusion Monsters, and adds Maximum Monsters.
In addition to the frame color classifications, monsters can also be classified as Tuner monsters or Special Summon Monsters, but this classification is not a separate division from those above. Also, Effect Monsters, exclusively, can be classified further by Ability. This include Spirit monsters, Toon monsters, Union monsters, Gemini monsters and Flip monsters.
Normal Monsters lack effects and are not typically paired with any other Monster Card types (with the exception of Gemini monsters, a class of Effect Monsters which are summoned as Normal Monsters, and some Pendulum Monsters, which can also be Normal Monsters). Effect Monsters cannot also be Normal Monsters (with the exception of the aforementioned Gemini monsters), but they can also be Fusion, Ritual, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum, and Link Monsters. Some Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Link Monsters lack effects and are thus not Effect Monsters, but they are also not considered Normal Monsters; such monsters are known as non-Effect Monsters.
During play, Monster Cards can be played in either face-up Attack Position or face-down Defense Position. The importance of Monster Cards lies in their effects and their ATK and DEF values during the Battle Phase.
In the TCG and the OCG, the shortened term "monster" is distinguished from "Monster Card" by referring to Monster Cards that are not being treated as Spell or Trap Cards, for reasons such as becoming Equip Cards or being Pendulum Monsters activated in the Pendulum Zone. An effect specifying "monsters" cannot interact with Monster Cards treated as Spell/Trap Cards, while an effect specifying "Monster Cards" can interact with all Monster Cards, even if they are currently treated as Spell/Trap Cards.[1] That said, certain cards like "Magistus Invocation" still refer to and interact with Monster Cards in the Spell & Trap Zone as "monsters".
ExamplesEdit
TCG/OCGEdit
A Normal Monster. ("Megalosmasher X")
An Effect Monster. ("B.E.S. Big Core MK-3")
An Xyz Monster. ("Cyber Dragon Infinity")
A Link Monster. ("Decode Talker")
A Monster Token Card. ("Dragon Lord Token")
Rush DuelEdit
A Normal Monster. ("Blue-Eyes White Dragon")
A Ritual Monster. ("Magician of Black Chaos")
A Fusion Monster. ("Metarion Ashurastar")
A center Maximum Monster. ("Yggdrago the Sky Emperor")
CarddassEdit
In other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Romanized |
|---|---|---|
| French | Carte Monstre | — |
| German | Monsterkarte | — |
| Italian | Carta Mostro | — |
| Portuguese | Card de Monstro | — |
| Spanish | Carta de Monstruo | — |
| Japanese | モンスターカード | Monsutā Kādo |
| Korean | 몬스터 카드 | Monseuteo Kadeu |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 怪獸卡 | Guàishòukǎ |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 怪兽卡 | Guàishòukǎ |
| Language | Name | Romanized |
|---|---|---|
| French | monstre | — |
| German | Monster | — |
| Italian | mostro | — |
| Portuguese | monstro | — |
| Spanish | monstruo | — |
| Japanese | モンスター | Monsutā |
| Korean | 몬스터 | Monseuteo |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 怪獸 | Guàishòu |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 怪兽 | Guàishòu |
See alsoEdit
NotesEdit
- ↑ Card text term for Monster Cards that are not treated as Spell/Trap Cards.
ReferencesEdit
- ↑ 魔法・罠ゾーンに存在するモンスターカードを効果の発動や適用の条件に含めることはできますか？. Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game Card Database (Ruling) (in Japanese). Konami. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2025.