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 competive cards inside them.
- Analysis Details: Technical details about how this page chooses what to show and recommend.
The average cost to build Six Samurais (Tier 3) is 27,000 gems. This comes from the 22,000 gems needed for the core UR/SR cards:
- 2x Legendary Six Samurai - Enishi
- 1x Secret Six Samurai - Kizaru
- 3x Secret Six Samurai - Fuma
- 2x Shien's Dojo
Other Top Decks:
- Ancient Gears (Tier 2) – 25,000 gems + $11
- Ancient Gear Awakening: 1,000 gems + $11
- Gaia Genesis: 9,000 gems
- Tech cards: 15,000 gems
- Cyberdarks (Tier 3) – 19,000 gems + $11 ()
- Neos Fusion: 1,000 gems + $11
- Galactic Origin: 5,000 gems
- Generation Next: 1,000 gems
- Tech cards: 12,000 gems
- Koa'ki Meiru (Tier 3) – 27,000 gems + $11 ()
- Neos Fusion: 1,000 gems + $11
- Gaia Genesis: 3,000 gems
- Revolution Beginning: 7,000 gems
- Generation Next: 1,000 gems
- Valiant Souls: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 10,000 gems
- Amazoness (Tier 3) – 38,000 gems ()
- Valiant Souls: 19,000 gems
- Servants of Kings: 4,000 gems
- Generation Next: 15,000 gems
- Vampires (Tier 3) – 47,000 gems
- Empire of Scarlet: 8,000 gems
- Generation Next: 3,000 gems
- Resonance of Contrast: 1,000 gems
- The Ultimate Rising: 10,000 gems
- Crimson Kingdom: 15,000 gems
- Tech cards: 10,000 gems
- Neos (Tier 1) – 41,000 gems + $11
- Neos Fusion: 1,000 gems + $11
- The Ultimate Rising: 10,000 gems
- Visions of Ice: 2,000 gems
- Generation Next: 1,000 gems
- Valiant Souls: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 22,000 gems
- Blue-Eyes (Tier 1) – 42,000 gems + $11
- Stardust Acceleration: 11,000 gems
- The White Dragon of Legend: 1,000 gems + $11
- Secrets of the Ancients: 3,000 gems
- Visions of Ice: 2,000 gems
- Resonance of Contrast: 2,000 gems
- Lords of Shining: 8,000 gems
- The Ultimate Rising: 10,000 gems
- Tech cards: 5,000 gems
- These are decks that 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 the skill KaibaCorp Bling with glossy/prismatic copies of non-free cards. Pursuing these versions can be prohibitively expensive, so proceed with caution.
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.
- Sphere Kuriboh is used in Blue-Eyes, Neos, Cyberdarks, and Vampires
- Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank" is used in Neos, Ancient Gears, Amazoness, and Koa'ki Meiru
- Cosmic Cyclone is used in Neos, Cyberdarks, Koa'ki Meiru, and Six Samurais
- Neos Fusion is used in Neos, Cyberdarks, and Koa'ki Meiru
- Elemental HERO Brave Neos is used in Neos, Cyberdarks, and Koa'ki Meiru
- Enemy Controller is used in Blue-Eyes, Neos, Ancient Gears, and Cyberdarks
- Elemental HERO Neos is used in Neos, Cyberdarks, and Koa'ki Meiru
- Lava Golem is used in Neos, Amazoness, and Cyberdarks
- Giganticastle is used in Blue-Eyes and Six Samurais
- Miracle Contact is used in Neos and Cyberdarks
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 VOL.02
This box contains support for Neos (Tier 1).
Note: This Selection Box is available until June 10th. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
SELECTION BOX VOL.01
This box contains support for Ancient Gears (Tier 2) and Vampires (Tier 3). Sphere Kuriboh is also one of the best staple cards in the current meta.
Note: This Selection Box is available until June 10th. Only a limited number of packs can be purchased with gems.
ANCIENT GEAR AWAKENING
This structure deck contains support for Ancient Gears (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.
Note: Some relevant cards in this structure deck are also currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
THE WHITE DRAGON OF LEGEND
This structure deck contains support for Blue-Eyes (Tier 1).
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.
GAIA GENESIS
This box contains support for Neos (Tier 1), Ancient Gears (Tier 2), and Koa'ki Meiru (Tier 3).
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
BURNING NOVA
This box contains support for Neos (Tier 1).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
VALIANT SOULS
This box contains support for Ancient Gears (Tier 2) and Amazoness (Tier 3). Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank" 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 June 10th).
Warning: Some relevant cards in this box may also be found in newer sets. Think carefully before investing your gems here.
PRIMAL BURST
This box contains support for Six Samurais (Tier 3).
Warning: All relevant cards in this box have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
BLADES OF SPIRITS
Elemental HERO Neos Knight 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.
GALACTIC ORIGIN
Cosmic Cyclone is a strong staple in the current meta.
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
SERVANTS OF KINGS
This box contains support for Amazoness (Tier 3).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
GENERATION NEXT
This box contains support for Amazoness (Tier 3) and Vampires (Tier 3). Bacon Saver 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 June 10th).
CRIMSON KINGDOM
This box contains support for Vampires (Tier 3).
Note: All relevant cards in this box are currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
THE ULTIMATE RISING
This box contains support for Ancient Gears (Tier 2). Sphere Kuriboh is also one of the best staple cards in the current meta.
Note: Some relevant cards in this box are also currently available in a Selection Box (until June 10th).
FREE IN-GAME SOURCES
The best cards from free, in-game sources consist of support for Blue-Eyes (Tier 1), Neos (Tier 1), Amazoness (Tier 3), and Cyberdarks (Tier 3), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
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.
