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 Combo Shiranui (Tier 2) is 43,000 gems. This comes from the 35,000 gems needed for the core UR/SR cards:
1x
1x
2x
2x
2x
1x
3x
- 1x Shiranui Sunsaga
- 1x Shiranui Shogunsaga
- 1x Revived King Ha Des
- 1x Archfiend Zombie-Skull
- 1x Shiranui Samuraisaga
- 1x Shiranui Samurai
- 3x Shiranui Spiritmaster
- 2x Shiranui Spectralsword Shade
- 1x Shiranui Spectralsword
- 1x Needlebug Nest
- 3x Sealing Ceremony of Katon
Other Top Decks:
- Karakuri (Tier 1) – 49,000 gems
- Revolution Beginning: 9,000 gems
- Arena of Sanctuary: 8,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 2,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 10,000 gems
- Warriors Unite: 1,000 gems
- Future Horizon: 1,000 gems
- Valhalla Calling: 2,000 gems
- Tech cards: 16,000 gems
- Ritual Beasts (Tier 3) – 34,000 gems
- Spirit of the Beast: 12,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 17,000 gems
- Control Shiranui (Tier 2) – 63,000 gems
- Soul of Resurrection: 7,000 gems
- Curse of Dread: less than 1000 gems
- Valiant Souls: 5,000 gems
- Generation Next: 10,000 gems
- Shining Hope: 9,000 gems
- Fortress of Gears: 5,000 gems
- Crimson Kingdom: 10,000 gems
- Tech cards: 17,000 gems
- Blackwings (Tier 2) – 69,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 21,000 gems
- Blackstorm Rising: 15,000 gems
- Blazing Rose: 5,000 gems
- Truth Universe: 5,000 gems
- Secrets of the Ancients: 3,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 10,000 gems
- Tech cards: 10,000 gems
- Invoked Magician Girls (Tier 3) – 61,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 18,000 gems
- Arena of Sanctuary: 3,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 14,000 gems
- Generation Next: 10,000 gems
- Shining Hope: 9,000 gems
- Tech cards: 7,000 gems
- Witchcrafter (Tier 3) – 61,000 gems
- Witch's Sorcery: 17,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 1,000 gems
- Valhalla Calling: 2,000 gems
- Blazing Rose: 5,000 gems
- Dimension of the Wizards: 3,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 15,000 gems
- Tech cards: 18,000 gems
- Crystrons (Tier 2) – 82,000 gems
- Cybernetic Rebellion: 15,000 gems
- Spirit of the Beast: 6,000 gems
- Stardust Acceleration: 14,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 1,000 gems
- Chronicle of Glory: 3,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 5,000 gems
- Blazing Rose: 5,000 gems
- Galactic Origin: 15,000 gems
- Dimension of the Wizards: 8,000 gems
- Tech cards: 10,000 gems
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 Karakuri, Blackwings, Combo Shiranui, Crystrons, Control Shiranui, Ritual Beasts, and Witchcrafter
- Forbidden Lance is used in Karakuri, Blackwings, Crystrons, and Control Shiranui
- Fiendish Chain is used in Karakuri, Control Shiranui, and Invoked Magician Girls
- Floodgate Trap Hole is used in Control Shiranui, Invoked Magician Girls, and Ritual Beasts
- Ballista Squad is used in Combo Shiranui, Control Shiranui, and Invoked Magician Girls
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.
SELECTION BOX MINI VOL.02
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2) and Witchcrafter (Tier 3), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
Note: This Selection Box is available until October 22nd. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SELECTION BOX VOL.03
This box contains support for Crystrons (Tier 2), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
Note: This Selection Box is available until October 22nd. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SELECTION BOX VOL.02
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2), Crystrons (Tier 2), and Witchcrafter (Tier 3).
Note: This Selection Box is available until October 22nd. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SELECTION BOX MINI VOL.01
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2). Cosmic Cyclone is also one of the best staple cards in the current meta.
Note: This Selection Box is available until October 22nd. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SELECTION BOX VOL.01
This box contains support for Combo Shiranui (Tier 2). Gozuki is also a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: This Selection Box is available until October 22nd. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SHINING HOPE
Fiendish Chain is a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
ARENA OF SANCTUARY
This box contains support for Karakuri (Tier 1), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
DRAGUNITY OVERDRIVE
Bad Aim is a strong staple in the current meta.
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 Combo Shiranui (Tier 2), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
AERIAL ASSAULT
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2) and Invoked Magician Girls (Tier 3). Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier is also a strong staple in the current meta.
DARK DIMENSION
This box contains support for Karakuri (Tier 1), Blackwings (Tier 2), and Invoked Magician Girls (Tier 3). Samurai Destroyer is also a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
VALHALLA CALLING
This box contains support for Karakuri (Tier 1) and Witchcrafter (Tier 3). Forbidden Lance is also a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
CURSE OF DREAD
This box contains multiple popular staple cards.
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
CYBERNETIC REBELLION
This box contains support for Crystrons (Tier 2) and Witchcrafter (Tier 3).
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
DIMENSION OF THE WIZARDS
This box contains support for Crystrons (Tier 2) and Witchcrafter (Tier 3).
ABSOLUTE INFERNO
Bad Aim is a strong staple in the current meta.
Warning: All relevant cards in this box have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
BLACKSTORM RISING
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2).
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
STARDUST ACCELERATION
This box contains support for Blackwings (Tier 2) and Crystrons (Tier 2).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
GAIA GENESIS
This box contains support for Witchcrafter (Tier 3).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
VALIANT SOULS
This box contains support for Karakuri (Tier 1), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
GALACTIC ORIGIN
Cosmic Cyclone is one of the best staple cards in the current meta.
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
CRIMSON KINGDOM
Gozuki is a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
LAND OF THE TITANS
This box contains support for Combo Shiranui (Tier 2).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until October 22nd).
FREE IN-GAME SOURCES
The best cards from free, in-game sources consist of support for Crystrons (Tier 2) and Witchcrafter (Tier 3).
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.
