by There are many different details and parts when it comes to the anatomy of Monster Card. Understanding each of those parts will help you understand more about how the game works and how certain cards interact. One of these details is the Attribute! Let’s take a look together at Yugioh monster attributes!
What is an attribute?
All Yugioh! cards have an assigned Attribute. Spells and Traps, too! But those are easy – their Attributes are simply “Spell” and “Trap” respectively and are used more like identifiers than Attributes. Monsters, however, are a little different. There are six basic Monster Attributes: Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Dark, and Light, with Divine being a bonus Attribute reserved for only a handful of special cards. In general, a Monster’s Attribute is little more than an additional descriptor or elemental alignment that adds flavor and character to the Monster. But, it can become a very important aspect in some case. Some cards can only be used while you control a monster of a certain Attribute, like Dark Illusion or Elf’s Light. Other cards interact with other cards of specific Atrributes, like Dark Grepher, Goka, the Pyre of Malice, or Cards from the Sky. There are even others cards that require the use of Monsters with specific Attributes, like Lightning Chidori, Predaplant Chimerafflesia, Naturia Beast, or Marincess Marbled Rock.
While all Monsters have an Attribute, not all monsters of the same Attribute share abilities of effects. Some Archetypes that focus on one Attribute can sometimes share similar strategies, but that is not always the case. Not all EARTH decks want to mill their deck, but some do; not all FIRE decks are build around a burn strategy, but some are. There are some similarities, but a Monster’s Attribute will not always indicate which strategy, tactic, or deck it belongs to. Let’s take a look at each Attribute and some of the archetypes that focus on that Atrribute.
Wind
Wind decks and archetypes sometimes use cards that want to bounce cards from the Field back to the Hand or even the Deck. Harpie Lady, Yosenju, and Radiant Typhoon all do this. Many Wind Monsters and archetypes also have a decent amount of backrow removal. Many Winged Beast and Psychic monsters are Wind Attribute. Notable Wind archetypes include Harpie Lady, Yosenju, Radiant Typhoon, Gusto, Shinobarron, Battle Wasp, and Majespecter.
Fire
The Fire attribute is often associated with burn strategies, a strategy that focuses on dealing effect damage to your opponent. Lava Golem, Fire Princess, and Solar Flare Dragon are all examples of this. Some Fire archetypes prefer to focus on board control or destruction, like Metalfoes, Fire King, or Battlin’ Boxers. Some popular Fire archetypes are Metalfoes, Battlin’ Boxer, Shiranui, Hazy Flame, Fire King, Volcanic, Jurrac, Fire Fist, Nephthys, Flamvell, and Salamangreat.
Water
Water decks are sometimes splash decks that can easily fill the board and recycle their monsters. One of the most prominent strategies of the Water Attribute is the Water Xyz strategy. Many Water monsters have effects that lend them to Xyz decks and strategies, like the many Shark cards available. Water decks include Sharks, Marincess, Mermail, Legendary Ocean, Ghoti, Ice Barrier, Deep Sea, Crystron, Atlantean, Gishki, Fishborg, and White Fish.
Earth
There are tons of Earth Monsters and archetypes out there, with tons of varying strategies. There are some Earth strategies that focus on defensive play, some that want to mill their own deck, and some that want to control the board or focus on gaining Life Points. There are also man different Types of Monsters that have the Earth attribute. Many Warrior, Rock, Plant, Insect, Beast, and Beast-Warrior Monsters are the Earth Attribute. Earth Archetypes include Triamid, Naturia, Ancient Gear, Guki, Subterror, Vernusylph, Sylvan, Magnet Warriors, Infinitrack, Superheavy Samurai, Machina, Gaia, Mimighoul, Traptrix, Amazoness, Fossil, Megalith, and Zoodiac.
Dark
The Dark Attribute has the largest pool of Monsters and the most generic support available. Many Fiend and Spellcaster Type monsters hold the Dark Attribute. Archetypes of this Attribute include Dark Magician, Archfiend, Ashened, Red-Eyes, Reptilianne, Darklords, Jinzo, Predaplant, Relinquished, Ally of Justice, Pumpking, Gravekeepers, Phantom Knights, Abyss Actor, D/D/D, Lunalight, Shadoll, and many more.
Light
Like Dark, Light also a lot of monsters and archetypes. Some Light decks enjoying the Life Point game, while other’s prefer control strategies. One of the most popular Light strategies was the Fairy Counter deck. The majority of Light monsters are Fairy-type, and many Fairy Monsters have effects and strategies that center around Counter Traps. Some Light-centric Archetypes include Blue-Eyes, Lightsworn, Cyber Angel, Batteryman, Edlich, Photon, Fiendsmith, Worm, Herald, Trickstar, Cyber Dragon, Voiceless Voice, Exosister, and Constellar.
It is important to understand what an Attribute is and how you can take advantage of it. Learn what it means for your deck, and for your opponent’s! Some strategies can revolve around a certain Attribute, and if you know that, you can develop counters to it. Stay tuned for additional articles on Atrributes!