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.
WARNING: Considering the most recent banlist, the meta still hasn’t settled. As such the Tier List is in a volatile state and is subject to rapid change over the next few weeks. Bear that in mind before you make any long-term investments.
The average cost to build Blue-Eyes (Tier 3) is 25,000 gems + $11. This comes from the 19,000 gems + $11 needed for the core UR/SR cards:
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Other Top Decks:
- Onomat (Tier 2) – 45,000 gems + $8
- Shining Hope: 14,000 gems
- Photon of Galaxy: 7,000 gems
- Gagaga Xyz: 500 gems + $8
- Voltage of the Metal: less than 1000 gems
- Eternal Stream: 5,000 gems
- Infinite Ray: 5,000 gems
- Shark Fang: 4,000 gems
- Antinomic Theory: 5,000 gems
- Tech cards: 4,500 gems
- Thunder Dragons (Tier 3) – 59,000 gems ()
- Infinite Ray: 16,000 gems
- Photon of Galaxy: 4,000 gems
- Shark Fang: 2,000 gems
- Blazing Rose: 4,000 gems
- Future Horizon: 2,000 gems
- The Ultimate Rising: 10,000 gems
- Dark Dimension: 14,000 gems
- Tech cards: 7,000 gems
- Harpies (Tier 1) – 39,000 gems + $75 ( + )
- Sign of Harpies: 11,000 gems
- Photon of Galaxy: 4,000 gems
- Voltage of the Metal: less than 1000 gems
- Visions of Ice: 4,000 gems
- Aerial Assault: 7,000 gems
- Blackstorm Rising: 2,000 gems
- Selection Box Vol.04: $75
- Tech cards: 11,000 gems
- Fire King (Tier 2) – 57,000 gems + $161 ()
- Return of the Fire Kings: 1,000 gems + $11
- Rage of Volcano: 8,000 gems
- Sign of Harpies: 3,000 gems
- Infinite Ray: 5,000 gems
- Shining Hope: 5,000 gems
- Photon of Galaxy: 3,000 gems
- Voltage of the Metal: 3,000 gems
- Eternal Stream: 7,000 gems
- Selection Box Vol.04: $150
- The Ultimate Rising: 10,000 gems
- Tech cards: 12,000 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
- Number 70: Malevolent Sin is used in Harpies, Fire King, Onomat, and Thunder Dragons
- Book of Moon is used in Harpies, Fire King, and Blue-Eyes
- Treacherous Trap Hole is used in Harpies, Fire King, and Blue-Eyes
- Abyss Dweller is used in Harpies, Fire King, and Onomat
- Mystical Space Typhoon is used in Fire King, Onomat, and Thunder Dragons
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.
BLUE-EYES EVOLUTION
This structure deck contains support for Blue-Eyes (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.
Warning: Some relevant cards in this structure deck are also available from free, in-game sources.
INFINITE RAY
This box contains support for Harpies (Tier 1) and Thunder Dragons (Tier 3), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
RAGE OF VOLCANO
This box contains support for Fire King (Tier 2) and Thunder Dragons (Tier 3). Battlin’ Boxer Veil is also a strong staple in the current meta.
SHARK FANG
This box contains support for Fire King (Tier 2), Onomat (Tier 2), and Thunder Dragons (Tier 3).
GAGAGA XYZ
This structure deck contains support for Onomat (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.
SHINING HOPE
This box contains support for Onomat (Tier 2), as well as multiple popular staple cards.
RETURN OF THE FIRE KINGS
This structure deck contains support for Fire King (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.
AERIAL ASSAULT
This box contains support for Harpies (Tier 1), Fire King (Tier 2), and Thunder Dragons (Tier 3).
BLAZING ROSE
This box contains support for Thunder Dragons (Tier 3). Vermillion Dragon Mech is also a strong staple in the current meta.
LORDS OF SHINING
This box contains support for Blue-Eyes (Tier 3).
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 Harpies (Tier 1) and Blue-Eyes (Tier 3).
Warning: Some relevant cards in this box may also be found in newer sets. Think carefully before investing your gems here.
THE WHITE DRAGON OF LEGEND
This structure deck contains support for Blue-Eyes (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.
Warning: All relevant cards in this structure deck have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
STARDUST ACCELERATION
This box contains support for Blue-Eyes (Tier 3).
Warning: Some relevant cards in this box may also be found in newer sets. Think carefully before investing your gems here.
SPELLBOUND SILENCE
This structure deck contains support for Thunder Dragons (Tier 3).
Note: This structure deck cannot be purchased with gems. Think twice about pursuing decks that use these cards if you do not want to spend money.
BLADES OF SPIRITS
This box contains support for Fire King (Tier 2).
Warning: All relevant cards in this box have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
DAWN OF DESTINY
This box contains support for Fire King (Tier 2).
Warning: All relevant cards in this box have been reprinted in newer sets. Be extremely cautious about investing your gems here.
FREE IN-GAME SOURCES
The best cards from free, in-game sources consist of support for Harpies (Tier 1), Fire King (Tier 2), Blue-Eyes (Tier 3), and Thunder Dragons (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.
