A Boomer’s Guide to Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel: XYZ Monsters

Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel released recently, and maybe you're an old fan coming back after a long hiatus. Back in the day, you only needed to know about three types of cards. Monsters, spells, and traps. It was a simpler time, but things have certainly changed since the days of Duelist Kingdom. The Fusion deck is now your Extra deck, and there's a variety of new summoning mechanics to learn. Don't worry, we're here to help. We'll break down all of the new types of extra deck monsters in chronological order. Next, we'll continue with XYZ monsters.

Xyz (pronounced ex-seez) monsters were the next special summoning mechanic to be introduced after Synchros. First appearing in the Zexal era of Yu-Gi-Oh, these monsters can be identified by their black background. Similarly to Synchro monsters, Xyz monsters do not require the use of a spell in order to be summoned from the extra deck. Xyz monsters must be Xyz summoned by overlaying two monsters with the same level that are equivalent to the rank of the Xyz monster.

In order to Xyz summon, you must overlay at least two monsters of the same level. The monsters' levels must also be equal to the rank of the Xyz monster. The monsters used to perform the Xyz summon are placed underneath the Xyz monster as Xyz materials. These materials can be used for the Xyz monster's effect in most cases.

Unlike Synchro monsters, Xyz monsters do not require a specific type of material like tuners. This means that many Xyz monsters are more accessible than Synchro monsters. In Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel, many monsters have effects that can special summon more copies of themself. This means that you will have easy access to your Xyz monsters. There are also many archetypes that focus on flooding the field with similarly leveled monsters in order to Xyz summon.

This card's stat line might not seem so impressive, but this Xyz monster is much more than it seems. Rhongomyniad gains effects for the number of materials that it has. With only one material, it cannot be destroyed by battle, but it quickly snowballs from there. With two materials, its stats are buffed up to 3000 attack and defense. At three materials, it cannot be affected by your opponent's card effects. With four materials, your opponent can no longer summon monsters to their field. Finally, with five materials, you can destroy every card your opponent controls. If you can make a deck that focuses on level 4 warriors, consider using this card!

Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy is a card that is as impressive as it looks. Hope Harbinger Dragon takes any two level 8 monsters to summon. This hefty cost is definitely outweighed bu the power that this card provides. Once per turn it can negate any spell or effect that your opponent uses, and then it adds that card to itself as material. Then if your opponent would ever attack, you can detach a material to redirect the attack to Hope Harbinger Dragon. Finally, if one of your Xyz monsters is destroyed, you can target another Xyz monster and have it gain the destroyed monster's attack points.

This massive monster might seem impossible to summon with it being a rank 12, but things aren't always as they seem. If you've attacked with an Xyz monster during your turn, during your Main Phase 2, you can Xyz summon this monster by using any other Xyz monster as material. You can detach two materials from this card to send all other cards on the field to the graveyard. This means that you can take out your opponent's monsters and any back row traps that they might have waiting for you. You can use this opportunity to attack directly, or to ruin your opponent's setup. Then, if any other card you control is destroyed by an opponent's card effect, you can add a material to this card from your hand, deck, or extra deck. This massive monster has staying power and field disruption all in one!

Xyz monsters are a powerful addition to the extra deck that can be useful in a variety of situations. These are not the only new types of monsters that have been added, and we will be releasing Boomer Guides for the other new types of monsters added to Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel.

Be sure to check out our other Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel Guides: