Gem Guide
This is a living guide which automatically updates itself based on daily new top decks and weekly Tier List updates to give you the most up-to-date gem investment advice possible. The green/red arrows — / — found on cards throughout the guide represent recent trends in those cards’ usage rates.
Quick Links
- Recommended Deck: The best deck for new or returning players to pick up and immediately become competitive.
- Top Staples: All the cards used in multiple top-tier decks; these cards are very flexible and powerful.
- Trending Cards: Take a look at which cards are currently going up or down in usage.
- Set Breakdown: Full list of relevant boxes and structure decks along with the most competitive cards inside them.
- Analysis Details: Technical details about how this page chooses what to show and recommend.
The average cost to build Witchcrafter (Tier 1) is 48,000 gems. This comes from the 38,000 gems needed for the core UR/SR cards:
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2x
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3x
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3x
- 1x Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden
- 2x Witchcrafter Collaboration
- 3x Witchcrafter Holiday
- 2x Witchcrafter Unveiling
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2x
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Other Top Decks:
- Blackwings (Tier 1) – 58,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 21,000 gems
- Blackstorm Rising: 16,000 gems
- Truth Universe: 5,000 gems
- Secrets of the Ancients: 3,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 5,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 10,000 gems
- Dark Magician (Tier 3) – 40,000 gems ()
- Guardians of Rock: 8,000 gems
- Future Horizon: 14,000 gems
- Burning Nova: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 13,000 gems
- Crystrons (Tier 3) – 68,000 gems
- Cybernetic Rebellion: 15,000 gems
- Spirit of the Beast: 6,000 gems
- Abyss Encounters: 7,000 gems
- Stardust Acceleration: 14,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 1,000 gems
- Secrets of the Ancients: 3,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 10,000 gems
- Tech cards: 12,000 gems
- Blue-Eyes (Tier 2) – 40,000 gems + $51 ()
- Judgement Force: 11,000 gems
- The White Dragon of Legend: 1,000 gems + $4
- Stardust Acceleration: 5,000 gems
- Selection Box Mini Vol.02: $47
- Blazing Rose: 5,000 gems
- Soul of Resurrection: 3,000 gems
- Blackstorm Rising: 9,000 gems
- Lords of Shining: 8,000 gems
- Ritual Beasts (Tier 3) – 24,000 gems + $75 ()
- Spirit of the Beast: 12,000 gems
- Generation Next: 5,000 gems
- Selection Box Vol.03: $75
- Tech cards: 7,000 gems
- Shiranui (Tier 2) – 53,000 gems + $75 ()
- Soul of Resurrection: 10,000 gems
- Curse of Dread: less than 1000 gems
- Generation Next: 5,000 gems
- Selection Box Vol.03: $75
- Fortress of Gears: 5,000 gems
- Valhalla Calling: 5,000 gems
- Crimson Kingdom: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 23,000 gems
- Gouki (Tier 3) – 47,000 gems + $79 ()
- Flames of the Heart: 11,000 gems
- Dragunity Overdrive: 1,000 gems + $4
- Selection Box Vol.03: $75
- Fortress of Gears: 5,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 9,000 gems
- Tech cards: 21,000 gems
- Invoked Neos (Tier 2) – 56,000 gems + $141 ()
- Dark Dimension: 17,000 gems
- Neos Fusion: 1,000 gems + $4
- Dragunity Overdrive: 1,000 gems + $4
- Masters of Chaos: 1,000 gems + $11
- Aerial Assault: 9,000 gems
- Selection Box Mini Vol.02: $47
- Selection Box Vol.03: $75
- Valkyrie's Rage: 5,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 15,000 gems
- Primal Burst: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 2,000 gems
- Elementsabers (Tier 3) – 60,000 gems + $150 ()
- Dark Dimension: 21,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 14,000 gems
- Generation Next: 10,000 gems
- Selection Box Vol.03: $150
- Warriors Unite: 2,000 gems
- Tech cards: 13,000 gems
- These are decks that can require significant in-game play time to build. Because they make heavy use of cards from sources like drop rewards, ranked tickets, the Card Trader, and level-up rewards, these decks can be difficult for a new player to obtain.
- These are decks whose best versions involve cards currently exclusive to Selection Boxes. Such cards are extremely expensive and not currently available. It is unknown when these cards will be available to purchase again.
Note: Before investing in a deck, take the time to look into the play-style of the deck as well as general opinions on the deck. Be sure that you’ll enjoy playing the deck and that it’s not in danger of suddenly becoming irrelevant.
Warning: Not all box staples are in good boxes. Chasing cards from much older boxes is almost never a good idea for newer players.
Boxes/Structure Decks
- Cosmic Cyclone is used in Blackwings, Invoked Neos, Shiranui, Crystrons, and Dark Magician
- Fiendish Chain is used in Invoked Neos, Shiranui, Elementsabers, Gouki, and Ritual Beasts
- Karma Cut is used in Blue-Eyes, Invoked Neos, and Dark Magician
- Floodgate Trap Hole is used in Shiranui, Elementsabers, and Ritual Beasts
- Paleozoic Canadia is used in Shiranui, Dark Magician, and Elementsabers
- Enemy Controller is used in Witchcrafter and Gouki
On the Rise
In Decline
Boxes and structure decks that are not in the list below have no cards that are frequently used in current top-tier decks. Competitive free-to-play duelists should not invest in them right now.
For more information on each set, the banner images will take you to full overview pages with complete card lists.
JUDGEMENT FORCE
This box contains support for Witchcrafter (Tier 1) and Blue-Eyes (Tier 2). Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn is also a strong staple in the current meta.
DRAGUNITY OVERDRIVE
This structure deck contains support for Invoked Neos (Tier 2) and Gouki (Tier 3).
Note: This structure deck can only be purchased once with gems. Be careful about pursuing decks that use these cards if you do not want to spend money.
SOUL OF RESURRECTION
This box contains support for Shiranui (Tier 2). Raigeki Break is also a strong staple in the current meta.
AERIAL ASSAULT
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 1), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
MASTERS OF CHAOS
This structure deck contains support for Invoked Neos (Tier 2).
Note: This structure deck can only be purchased once with gems. Be careful about pursuing decks that use these cards if you do not want to spend money.
DARK DIMENSION
This box contains support for Elementsabers (Tier 3), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
VALHALLA CALLING
This box contains support for Witchcrafter (Tier 1) and Shiranui (Tier 2). Scrap Dragon is also a strong staple in the current meta.
NEOS FUSION
This structure deck contains support for Invoked Neos (Tier 2).
Note: This structure deck can only be purchased once with gems. Be careful about pursuing decks that use these cards if you do not want to spend money.
ABSOLUTE INFERNO
This box contains support for Gouki (Tier 3).
Warning: All relevant cards in this box have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
THE WHITE DRAGON OF LEGEND
This structure deck contains support for Blue-Eyes (Tier 2).
Note: This structure deck can only be purchased once with gems. Be careful about pursuing decks that use these cards if you do not want to spend money.
VALIANT SOULS
This box contains support for Elementsabers (Tier 3). Paleozoic Canadia is also a strong staple in the current meta.
GENERATION NEXT
This box contains support for Invoked Neos (Tier 2). Floodgate Trap Hole is also a strong staple in the current meta.
FREE IN-GAME SOURCES
The best cards from free, in-game sources consist of support for Witchcrafter (Tier 1), Blue-Eyes (Tier 2), Invoked Neos (Tier 2), Crystrons (Tier 3), Dark Magician (Tier 3), and Ritual Beasts (Tier 3). Enemy Controller is also one of the best staple cards in the current meta.
This page works by analyzing recent top decks from the past few weeks, automatically accounting for any changes to the Forbidden/Limited List and Tier List. Only cards which are used in those decks above a certain “usage threshold rate” are counted on this page, so the cards you see above are guaranteed to have been successful in multiple top decks from multiple players.
A “staple” card is classified as any card which is commonly used in multiple top-tier decks. Cards may shift from being staples to being classified as “archetype-specific support” if all but one of the decks using that card fall off the Tier List. Similarly, cards may become staples as other decks that use the card are promoted on to the Tier List.
The recommended deck is the best, most accessible deck on the Tier List, perfect for new or returning players. The price of each deck is estimated by looking at the “core” cards and then factoring in how expensive common “tech” cards are. If you’re instead looking for information on one of the non-recommended decks, the deck-type pages have full statistical breakdowns of the cards used in every deck.
