Difference between revisions of "Spirit monster"

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{{Redirect|Spirit|the archetype|""Spirit"" (archetype)|the Type|Spirit (Type)}}
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/Start
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/Start
| image name          = SpiritBurner-TF04-EN-VG.png
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    | image name          = LastTurn-TF05-JP-VG-artwork.png
 +
    | image caption        = "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" and "Yamata Dragon" in the artwork of "Last Turn"
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/ExtendedName
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/ExtendedName
| kanji                = スピリット
+
    | kanji                = スピリット(モンスター)<ref group=Notes>The parentheses here specify what part is not shown on the cards' [[Type]]/[[Ability]] line.</ref>
| romaji              = Supiritto
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    | romaji              = Supiritto (monsutā)
| japanese translated  =  
+
    | japanese translated  =  
| english              = Spirit monsters
+
    | english              = Spirit (monster)
| french              =  
+
    | french              = (monstre) Spirit
| german              = Spirit monster (Geister Monster in the anime)
+
    | german              = Spirit(-Monster) (Geister Monster in the anime)
| italian              = Mostro Spirit
+
    | italian              = (mostro) Spirit
| korean              = 스피릿
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    | korean              = 스피릿 (몬스터) ''Seupirit (Monseuteo)''
         | portuguese          = Monstro Espírito
+
    | spanish              = (monstruo) Spirit
| spanish             = Monstruos Espirtual
+
         | portuguese          = (monstro) Espírito<br/>Formerly: Spirit
        | croatian            = Duša
+
        | chinese             = 靈魂(怪獸) ''Línghún (Guàishòu) / Ling4 wan4 (Gwaai3 sau3)''
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Infobox/Yu-Gi-Oh!/Archetype/List
 
{{Infobox/Yu-Gi-Oh!/Archetype/List
| sets                =
+
    | sets                =
* [[Dark Revelation Volume 1]]
 
* [[Dark Crisis]]
 
* [[Structure Deck 6: Spellcaster's Judgment]]
 
* [[Retro Pack 2]]
 
 
* [[Mythological Age]]
 
* [[Mythological Age]]
 +
* [[Threat of the Dark Demon World]]
 +
* [[Duelist Legacy Volume.5]]
 
* [[Legacy of Darkness]]
 
* [[Legacy of Darkness]]
 +
* [[Pharaonic Guardian]]
 +
* [[Dark Crisis]]
 +
* [[Structure Deck: Zombie Madness]]
 +
* [[Dark Revelation Volume 1]]
 
* [[Dark Beginning 2]]
 
* [[Dark Beginning 2]]
* [[Duelist Legacy Volume.5]]
 
* [[Mythological Age]]
 
* [[Threat of the Dark Demon World]]
 
 
* [[Expert Edition Volume.1]]
 
* [[Expert Edition Volume.1]]
* [[Structure Deck 7: Invincible Fortress]]
+
* [[Structure Deck: Spellcaster's Judgment]]
 
* [[Tournament Pack 6]]
 
* [[Tournament Pack 6]]
* [[Absolute Powerforce]]
+
* [[Structure Deck: Invincible Fortress]]
* [[Hidden Arsenal 4: Trishula's Triumph]]
+
* [[Structure Deck: Revival of the Great Dragon]]
* [[Duel Terminal - Charge of the Genex]]
 
 
* [[The Duelist Genesis]]
 
* [[The Duelist Genesis]]
 +
* [[Retro Pack 2]]
 +
* [[Duel Terminal - Charge of the Genex!!]]
 
* [[Extra Pack Volume 2]]
 
* [[Extra Pack Volume 2]]
* [[Pharaonic Guardian]]
+
* [[Absolute Powerforce]]
* [[Hobby League Participation Cards|Hobby League Participation Cards: Series 7]]
+
* [[Storm of Ragnarok]]
* [[Structure Deck 2: Zombie Madness]]
 
* [[Photon Shockwave]]
 
* [[Structure Deck 13: Revival of the Great Dragon]]
 
 
* [[Duel Terminal - Xyz Startup!!]]
 
* [[Duel Terminal - Xyz Startup!!]]
* [[Storm of Ragnarok]]
+
* [[Hidden Arsenal 4: Trishula's Triumph]]
 
* [[Photon Shockwave]]
 
* [[Photon Shockwave]]
 +
* [[Battle Pack: Epic Dawn]]
 +
* [[Hidden Arsenal 6: Omega Xyz]]
 +
* [[Hidden Arsenal 7: Knight of Stars]]
 
* [[Shadow Specters]]
 
* [[Shadow Specters]]
 
* [[Legacy of the Valiant]]
 
* [[Legacy of the Valiant]]
| anime                =  
+
* [[The Dark Illusion]]
* [[Yu-Gi-Oh! (anime)|Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monster]]s
+
* [[Raging Tempest]]
| list                = List of Spirit monsters
+
* [[Circuit Break]]
| support list        = List of Spirit monster support cards
+
* [[Dawn of Majesty]]
| anti-support list    = List of Spirit monster anti-support cards
+
* [[Cyberstorm Access]]
 +
    | anime                =  
 +
* [[Yu-Gi-Oh! (anime)|Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters]]
 +
* [[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX|Yu-Gi-Oh! (Duel Monsters) GX]]
 +
    | list                = List of Spirit monsters
 +
    | support list        = List of Spirit monster support cards
 +
    | anti-support list    = List of Spirit monster anti-support cards
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/End}}
 
{{Infobox/Archetype/End}}
  
'''Spirit monsters''' are characterized by having effects that return them to their owner's hand during the End Phase of turns they are [[Normal Summon]]ed or [[flip]]ped face-up (whether by [[Flip Summon]], surviving battle, or any other method). This would seem to symbolize the monster being "spiritual", in that its physical body on the field is temporary.
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'''Spirit monsters''' (スピリットモンスター ''Supiritto monsutā'') are [[Effect Monster]]s with the [[ability]] "Spirit". Usually, they cannot be [[Special Summon]]ed, and have an effect that returns them to the [[hand]] during the [[End Phase]] of the turn they are [[Normal Summon]]ed or [[flip]]ped [[face-up]] (or the turn they are Special Summoned, in case of Spirit monsters that must be Special Summoned). They debuted in ''[[Mythological Age]]'' and first received support in ''[[The Duelist Genesis]]'', almost 7 years later.
  
Usual effect text (using [[Problem-Solving Card Text]]):<br>
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The designs of most Spirit monsters are based on beings from Eastern mythology, primarily Japanese ones. They all have very similar purple backgrounds, and often feature ''[[wikipedia:Onibi|onibi]]'' lights on their card artworks.
''Cannot be [[Special Summoned]]. During the [[End Phase]] of the turn this card is [[Normal Summon]]ed or flipped face-up: [[Return]] it to the [[hand]].''
 
<br>So far, the only exception for this rule is "[[Yamato-no-Kami]]", that can (and [[Special Summon Monster|must]]) be Special Summoned.
 
  
Spirit monsters are designated by having "Spirit" in the place where "Effect" would be ([Spellcaster/Spirit] instead of [Spellcaster/Effect]). They are the second subset of [[Effect Monster]]s to have this indicator, the first being [[Toon Monster]]s. (The [[Flip Effect Monster]]s, which were the first subset of Effect Monsters, had "FLIP:" at the beginning of their effects rather than an indicator).
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There are no [[archetype]]s focused on Spirit monsters, but the [[Shinobird]] and [[Martial Art Spirit]] [[series]] do. While most Spirit monsters are not members of an archetype, a few Spirit monsters belong to the "[[Ice Barrier]]" ("[[Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier]]") and "[[Gishki]]" ("[[Gishki Natalia]]" and "[[Gishki Emilia|Emilia]]") archetypes, both of which exist in the [[Duel Terminal]] card storyline; these Spirit monsters are not based on mythological figures, but instead represent revived spirits of deceased characters in their storyline.
  
Spirit monsters often have effects that would be used when they were Summoned, or had combat-based effects but would be vulnerable due to low [[ATK]], making the returning to hand ability a boon. Examples of the former include "[[Tsukuyomi]]" and "[[Maharaghi]]", and examples of the latter include "[[Yata-Garasu]]" and "[[Inaba White Rabbit]]".
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==Characteristics==
 +
===Shared effects===
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Most Spirit monsters share the following two effects:
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* Cannot be Special Summoned.
 +
* Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up this turn: Return it to the hand.
  
==Playing style==
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The effect to return to the hand during the End Phase only activates during the turn they are Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. If they do not return to the hand in that End Phase (such as due to "[[Dimensionhole]]" or "[[Forbidden Chalice]]"), this effect does not activate in subsequent turns. If a Spirit monster with this effect was [[Special Summon]]ed face-up (which would usually require an effect that [[Ignoring the Summoning conditions|ignores the Summoning conditions]]), then this effect does not activate, as it was not Normal Summoned or flipped face-up.
  
Spirit monsters can only remain on the field temporarily (unless they are face-down during the End Phase they would be returned or removed from the field temporarily during the the same time), and thus their controllers run into a major problem of maintaining field presence, but many Spirit monsters have devastating special effects to make up for this deficiency. "[[Mirror of Yata]]" and "[[Izanagi]]" keep the spirits on the field permanently or until they are removed, making these cards a must for any Spirit deck. "[[Spiritual Energy Settle Machine]]" also does this, but it costs a discard per turn. Other ways to make up for the returning to hand is to make your opponent's monsters return to their hand whenever a Spirit does, such as with "[[Spirit's Invitation]]", or to gain Life Points whenever this happens, such as with "[[Spring of Rebirth]]".
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These effects are not universal among all Spirit monsters. Notable exceptions include:
 +
* The [[Martial Art Spirit]]s can be [[Special Summon]]ed. They return to the hand during the End Phase of the turn they were Normal Summoned or flipped face-up, like most Spirit monsters.
 +
* "[[Yamato-no-Kami]]", "[[Konohanasakuya]]", and the [[Shinobird]] Ritual Monsters cannot be Normal Summoned/Set; they must be Special Summoned by their own Summoning procedure or [[Ritual Summon]]. They return to the hand during the End Phase of the turn they were Special Summoned.
 +
* "[[Amaterasu]]" cannot be Normal or Special Summoned; it must be [[Normal Set]], and it still returns itself to hand during the End Phase of the turn it is flipped up.
  
In addition, there is a '''loophole''' with Spirit monsters that lets them stay on the field regardless of their self-bounce effect. The exact text on Spirit monster cards states they must return to their owner's hand "''during the End Phase of the turn [they are] Normal Summoned or flipped face-up''". Therefore, if you can get them to stay on the field past the End Phase, you don't have to worry about them returning to your hand. Also, if you flip "Yamato-No-Kami" face-down and flip it face-up, during the turn it is Special Summoned, it will not return to your hand, since it only returns during the End Phase of the turn it was Special Summoned, but the second Summon, a ''Flip Summon'', will prevail. For instance, if a "[[Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi]]" equipped with "Mirror of Yata" has its Equip destroyed (e.g. "[[Mystical Space Typhoon]]"), it will stay on the field the subsequent turns.
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==Design==
 +
Most Spirit monsters are based on specific beings from Oriental mythology, which includes both Japanese [[wikipedia:Yōkai|Yōkai]] and various other Asian folklore. The only Spirit monsters not specifically based on Oriental mythology are the [[Martial Art Spirit]]s, and the Spirit monsters belonging to the [[Duel Terminal]] storyline. The [[Shinobird]] [[series]] is, as a whole, based on the story of the ''[[wikipedia:Tanabata|Tanabata]]''.
  
A considerable feature on a Spirit Deck is its ability of increase its owner's Life Points, by using cards like "[[Orb of Yasaka]]", "[[Fushi No Tori]]" and "Spring of Rebirth", which partly compensates the lack of Field presence caused by the Spirit monsters' bounce.
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Most of these Spirit monsters' Japanese names are written in [[wikipedia:Kanji|kanji]] with [[wikipedia:Furigana|furigana]] written in [[wikipedia:Katakana|katakana]]; this is a reference to how Japanese orthography commonly writes the names of major Japanese ''kami'' in katakana.
  
Two of the strongest Spirit monsters ("Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" and "[[Yamata Dragon]]") focus on maintaining a significant hand advantage over the opponent, and they can easily turn the tide of any duel in their owner's favor. Though it wasn't an option in the past, there is currently enough support for decks entirely themed around Spirit monsters to be viable. Because Spirit monsters return to the player's hand, the player runs the risk of having too many cards during the End Phase, forcing a discard, so "[[Infinite Cards]]" is an effective way to counter this problem. Cards like "Exchange", "[[Creature Swap]]", and "[[Mystic Box]]" are staples.
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
 +
|+ {{nowrap|Mythological Spirit monsters}}
 +
! Spirit monster !! Origin
 +
|-
 +
| [[Konohanasakuya]] || [[wikipedia:Konohanasakuya-hime|Konohanasakuya-hime]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Amaterasu]] || [[wikipedia:Amaterasu|Amaterasu]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi]] || [[wikipedia:Kagu-Tsuchi|Kagutsuchi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Yamata Dragon]] || [[wikipedia:Yamata no Orochi|Yamata no Orochi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Dark Dust Spirit]] || [[wikipedia:Shinigami|Shinigami]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Yamato-no-Kami]] || [[wikipedia:Susanoo|Susanoo]] and the heads of [[wikipedia:Yamata no Orochi|Yamata no Orochi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Fenghuang]] || [[wikipedia:Fenghuang|Fenghuang]] or "Hou-Ou"
 +
|-
 +
| [[Great Long Nose]] || [[wikipedia:Tengu|Red Nose Tengu]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Susa Soldier]] || [[wikipedia:Susanoo|Susanoo]] and [[wikipedia:Kusanagi|Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Yaksha]] || [[wikipedia:Yaksha|Yaksha]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Rasetsu]] || [[wikipedia:Rakshasa|Rakshasa]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Amano-Iwato]] || [[wikipedia:Amano-Iwato|Ama no Iwato]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Hebo, Lord of the River]] || [[wikipedia:Kappa|Kappa]] or [[wikipedia:Hebo|Hebo]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Asura Priest]] || [[wikipedia:Asura|Asura]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Maharaghi]] || [[wikipedia:Dogū|Shakoukidoguu]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Fushi No Tori]] || [[wikipedia:Phoenix|Phoenix]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Izanami]] || [[wikipedia:Izanami|Izanami]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Tsukuyomi]] || [[wikipedia:Tsukuyomi|Tsukuyomi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Gundari]] || [[wikipedia:Kuṇḍali|Kuṇḍali]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Aratama]], [[Nikitama]], and [[Sakitama]] || [[wikipedia:Mitama|Mitama]]
 +
|-
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| [[Inaba White Rabbit]] || [[wikipedia:Hare_of_Inaba|Hare of Inaba]]
 +
|-
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| [[Otohime]] || [[wikipedia:Oto-hime|Oto-hime]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Yata-Garasu]] || [[wikipedia:Three-legged crow|Three-legged crow]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Kinka-byo]] || [[wikipedia:bakeneko|Bakeneko]]
 +
|}
  
A commonly used card with Spirits is "[[Mausoleum of the Emperor]]", which allows users to pay a Life Point cost to get high-level Spirit monsters out without tribute. [[Trap Monster]]s are also often used either as tributes or as a method of maintaining a field defense when the Spirits leave the field. "[[Kaiser Colosseum]]" is another decent card to maintain field advantage when "Izanagi" or a Spirit Monster equipped with "Mirror of Yata" is on the field. Another way of easing the Normal Summon of a high-level Spirit monster is by using "[[Star Blast]]" or monsters like "[[Totem Dragon]]" and "[[Flame Ruler]]".
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
 +
|+ {{nowrap|Spirit support}}
 +
! Support card !! Origin
 +
|-
 +
| [[Izanagi]] || [[wikipedia:Izanagi|Izanagi]]
 +
|-
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| [[Mirror of Yata]] || [[wikipedia:Yata no Kagami|Yata no Kagami]]
 +
|-
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| [[Sword of Kusanagi]] || [[wikipedia:Kusanagi no Tsurugi|Kusanagi no Tsurugi]]
 +
|-
 +
| [[Orb of Yasaka]] || [[wikipedia:Yasakani no Magatama|Yasakani no Magatama]]
 +
|}
  
Another Field Spell Card that may help this Deck is "[[Summon Breaker]]"; since Spirit monsters do not have good swarming capabilities (before "[[Nikitama]]"), this card will not harm the player using Spirit monsters much, but it will stall many Decks that do swarm, like "[[Six Samurai]]", "[[Madolche]]" and "[[Mermail]]". If your opponent doesn't want to miss a chance to attack, he/she will have to change his/her strategy and perform the Summons during the Main Phase 2.
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==Playing style==
  
Another way to make Level 5 and higher Spirit monsters more usable is "[[Level Eater]]". After Normal Summoning the Spirit, Special Summon a many "Level Eaters" as possible; because the Spirit monster returns to the hand, its Level will be reset, meaning next turn it can be Tribute Summoned with the "Level Eaters", which can then be Special Summoned again.
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Spirit monsters, as an individual Spirit-focused deck, are focused on overcoming their negative self-restrictions, and utilizing Spirit support cards to bring out powerful individual Spirit monsters and use their strong effects in the one turn they stay on the field. Due to their Main Deck nature and Special Summoning restriction, Spirit-focused Decks are primarily focused on [[Normal Summon|Normal]] and [[Tribute Summon]]ing; however, Spirit Decks focused on the [[Shinobird]] Ritual Spirit boss monsters focus on [[Ritual Summon]]ing instead.
  
Some non-Spirit Monsters that may help a Spirit Deck include "[[Cyber Valley]]" and "[[Neo-Spacian Grand Mole]]" or "[[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness]]", "[[Tragoedia]]", "[[Kuriboh]]" and "[[Battle Fader]]", once, due to the Spirit Monsters returning to the hand, the player might be open for a Direct Attack. You can use "Battle Fader" or the "Emissary of Darkness Token" to Tribute Summon a Spirit Monster and use "Tragoedia" to take control of a opponent's Monster by discarding a Spirit (that can be later retrieved by "[[Izanami]]", or that can be banished to Special Summon "Yamato-no-Kami"). Another remarkable Hand trap is "[[D.D. Crow]]", that can be a sad surprise to a card like "[[Pot of Dichotomy]]", "[[Call of the Haunted]]", etc, and, like the others Level 1 monsters cited here, can be later revived by "[[Kinka-Byo]]" for a quick Xyz Summon.
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While Spirit monsters can be played as staple monsters in historical Decks due to having relatively strong effects that made up for their negative effects (relative to their contemporaries), most Spirit monsters have become obsolete as the metagame progressed.
  
"[[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]" can be a great [[beatstick]], and can be Summoned by banishing, for example, "Nikitama", "[[Otohime]]", "[[Asura Priest]]" or "[[Effect Veiler]]" and "Yamato-no-Kami", "[[Aratama]]", "Kuriboh", "[[Great Long Nose]]" etc, giving the fallen Spirit monsters a last utility.
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Spirit monsters have a wide variety of effects. Key Spirit monsters that provide consistency include "[[Aratama]]", a monster searcher, "[[Nikitama]]" and "[[Sakitama]]", who grant extra Normal Summons to Spirits, and "[[Konohanasakuya]]", a Special Summon extender with a GY effect to let a Spirit monster stay on the field (by preventing its return-to-hand effect from activating).  
  
"[[Forbidden Chalice]]" can be very useful, as it can negate the Bounce effect of the Spirit Monsters and keep them on the field. Use this card after you used their main effect, like after attacking with "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" or after destroying a Spell/Trap Card with "Yamato-no-Kami". The usage of this card is more compensative with high-level Monsters, such as "Great Long Nose", "Yamata Dragon", etc, or with those ones whose effects don't activate upon their Normal/Flip Summon, such as "Asura Priest" or "Fushi No Tori".
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Major Spirit boss monsters include the following:
  
"[[Forbidden Lance]]" can also be useful to protect monsters like "Yamata Dragon" and "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" from Spell or Trap cards, so if you are intenting to inflic damage to your opponent with them, cards like "[[Bottomless Trap Hole]]", "[[Mirror Force]]", "[[Dimensional Prison]]" will not be a problem.
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* "[[Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi]]" empties the opponent's entire hand before their Draw Phase if it inflicts battle damage.
 +
* "[[Yamata Dragon]]" fills its controller's hand with up to 5 cards if it inflicts battle damage.
 +
* "[[Dark Dust Spirit]]" destroys all other face-up monsters when Normal Summoned.
 +
* "[[Fenghuang]]" destroys all of the opponent's Set Spell/Traps when Normal Summoned.
 +
* "[[Amaterasu]]", which can only be [[Normal Set|Set]], will [[Banish]] every card on the field other than itself if it flips face-up.
 +
* "[[Amano-Iwato]]", which prevents all non-Spirit monsters from activating their effects. It is arguably the most powerful Spirit boss monster, as it can be easily summoned, and provides a strong continuous lockdown effect, providing real field presence in the opponent's turn if the player manages to have "Amano-Iwato" stay on the field.
  
Another card that can have the Spirit Monsters keeping on the Field is "[[D.D. Sprite]]" and, since it is a Tuner Monster, it can give the Deck more flexibility, allowing you to perform Synchro Summons. Among some remarkable Synchro Monsters, one of the more recommended is "[[Ancient Sacred Wyvern]]", that can be Summoned by using one of the Level 6 Spirit Monsters and, since most of the times the Deck has cards that increase the difference between both players' Life Points ("Spring of Rebirth", "Orb of Yasaka", "Fushi No Tori", etc), this monster can be used at its maximum potential.
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The Ritual Spirit monsters "[[Shinobaron Peacock]]" and "[[Shinobaroness Peacock]]", despite their status as Ritual monsters, are arguably the most accessible, powerful, and relevant Spirit monsters in the game. Being Ritual monsters, they have access to large amounts of Ritual support, including the powerful "[[Pre-Preparation of Rites]]". Their Ritual Spell, "[[Shinobird's Calling]]", can use GY Spirit monsters as resources for their Ritual Summon. Once Summoned, they can both remove up to 3 opposing cards and Special Summon a Spirit monster [[ignoring its Summoning conditions]] (typically "[[Amano-Iwato]]", which will stay on the field), and after they return to the hand in the End Phase, will float into two tokens. These two Ritual monsters are easily accessible and instantly provide removal and board presence upon hitting the field, making them extremely effective Spirit boss monsters.
  
Another Tuner monster that can fit in the Deck is "[[T.G. Striker]]", to quickly Synchro Summon some problem-solving monsters, such as "[[Orient Dragon]]", "[[HTS Psyhemuth]]" etc.
+
In terms of supportive Spell/Traps, Spirits lack efficient consistency Spell/Traps, and mostly have obsolete battle-focused Spell/Traps or conditional card effects that remove their self-return effects. Two Spirit support Spell/Traps that still have some relevancy are "[[Shinobird Power Spot]]", which provides stat boosts and conditional searches, and "[[Shinobird Salvation]]", which destroys an opposing card when a Spirit monster returns to the hand.
  
Some other Extra Deck options to mention include:
+
===Recommended cards===
  
* "[[Slacker Magician]]"
+
{{Decklist|Recommended cards
** Can be Summoned by the effect of "Kinka-Byo", if you had used a monster like "Effect Veiler", "Kuriboh" or "D.D. Sprite";
+
<!-- This is not an exact Decklist. Do not add multiples or staples.-->
*** "[[Number 54: Lion Heart]]" can be Xyz Summoned if you control a "Battle Fader" at the moment you used the effect of "Kinka-Byo" and can can serve as a damage-inflincting wall, as long as it remains in Attack Position.
 
  
* "[[Daigusto Emeral]]"
+
|effect monsters =
** To recycle Spirit Monsters, once they are virtually useless in the Graveyard;
+
* [[Battle Fader]]
 
+
* [[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]
* "[[Lavalval Chain]]"
+
* [[Electromagnetic Turtle]]
** To send "Nikitama" from the Deck the Graveyard to draw a card, or to put a desired Spirit on the top of the Deck;
+
* [[Speedroid Menko]]
  
* "[[Constellar Ptolemy M7]]"
+
|spirit monsters =
** To retrieve fallen Spirit monsters or to bounce an opponent's monster and open up him/her for a direct attack from "Yamata Dragon" or "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi";
+
* [[Amano-Iwato]]
 
+
* [[Amaterasu]]
* "[[Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack]]"/"[[Number 11: Big Eye]]"
 
** These are a little unlikely to Xyz Summon, being "Tragoedia" the most capable Monster to do so, due to its effects; you can also Xyz Summon them by using a weak "Ancient Sacred Wyvern".
 
 
 
==Overview==
 
 
 
Their effects range from [[Beatdown]], Direct Attack, hand control, and even field control, making a dedicated Spirit deck very flexible regardless of what the opponent has. However, due to their habit of returning to the hand, cards that make you discard will be a serious hamper, as Spirit monsters in general are rather useless in the Graveyard. Cards that recover discarded cards are thus suggested, but not recommended as Spirit monsters do not have much in the way of deck thinning (except for "Aratama"). Once the problem of field presence is resolved, Spirit Monsters can be quite annoying as well as devastating, since it is hard for the opponent to destroy them, and even with cards that forces discards, it is hard to target a particular Spirit Monster (unless something like "[[Card Destruction]]" is used). Also, once a pure Spirit deck does not relies on only one Type, Atributte or main Spirit monster, being precisely the variety of monsters and effects the ace feature of the build, your opponent will probably don't have a focused strategy to stop the whole deck.
 
 
 
==Weaknesses==
 
 
 
The main weaknesses of the Spirit Monster are the fact that they can't stay on the Field for long and can't be Special Summoned (except "Yamato-No-Kami"), which make them having no swarming capabilities. Once most of the times the player cannot maintain Field Advantage, this Deck is susceptible to Direct Attacks, so Beatdown and Aggro Decks, like "Six Samurai", "[[Dark World]]", "Madolche", "[[Noble Knight]]", "[[Spellbook]]", etc are good against this Deck. <br> ''Note: avoid using "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" against a "Dark World" or "[[Infernity]]" deck, once discarding your opponent's entire hand will highly probably help him/her rather than harming.'' <br> <br>
 
[[Stall]] decks are the main threat to this deck, since it is already slow due to the inability of swarming the Field and to the Spirits return to the hand during the End Phase, therefore summoning and attacking with monsters like "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" or "Yamata Dragon" are actions that cannot be wasted; cards like "[[Vengeful Bog Spirit]]", "[[Level Limit - Area B]]", "[[Threatening Roar]]", "[[Gravity Bind]]", "[[Chain Energy]]" and even "[[Skill Drain]]" can mean trouble. <br> <br>
 
Another cards that can damage this deck include cards like "[[D.D. Designator]]" and "[[Mind Crush]]", since the player's hand will be exposed due to the bouncing effects of the Spirit Monsters.<br>"[[Rivalry of Warlords]]" and "[[Gozen Match]]" can slow this deck down, since there are Spirit Monsters of different Types and all Attributes. <br> Beware of "[[Legacy of Yata-Garasu]]".
 
 
 
: ''See also [[Card Rulings:Spirit monster]]''
 
 
 
==Example==
 
[[File:Rasetsu-SHSP-EN-C-1E.png|center|360px]]
 
 
 
{{Decklist|Recommended Cards
 
|color=
 
|color2=
 
|monsters =
 
<!-- This is not an exact Decklist. Do not add multiples or staples.-->
 
 
* [[Aratama]]
 
* [[Aratama]]
* [[Nikitama]]
 
 
* [[Asura Priest]]
 
* [[Asura Priest]]
 +
* [[Dark Dust Spirit]]
 +
* [[Fenghuang]]
 +
* [[Hebo, Lord of the River]]
 +
* [[Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi]]
 +
* [[Izanagi]]
 
* [[Izanami]]
 
* [[Izanami]]
 +
* [[Kinka-byo]]
 +
* [[Nikitama]]
 
* [[Rasetsu]]
 
* [[Rasetsu]]
 +
* [[Sakitama]]
 +
* [[Shinobird Crane]]
 
* [[Tsukuyomi]]
 
* [[Tsukuyomi]]
 +
* [[Tsumuha-Kutsunagi the Lord of Swords]]
 
* [[Yaksha]]
 
* [[Yaksha]]
* [[Great Long Nose]]
 
* [[Fenghuang]]
 
* [[Dark Dust Spirit]]
 
 
* [[Yamata Dragon]]
 
* [[Yamata Dragon]]
* [[Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi]]
 
 
* [[Yamato-no-Kami]]
 
* [[Yamato-no-Kami]]
* [[Kinka-Byo]]
+
* [[Yata-Garasu]]
* [[Otohime]]
+
 
* [[Izanagi]]
+
|tuner monsters =
* [[T.G. Striker]]
 
* [[Battle Fader]]
 
 
* [[D.D. Sprite]]
 
* [[D.D. Sprite]]
* [[Level Eater]]
+
 
* [[Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning]]
+
|pendulum monsters =
* [[Gorz the Emissary of Darkness]]
+
* [[Disablaster the Matchless Turret]]
* [[Tragoedia]]
+
 
 +
|ritual monsters =
 +
* [[Shinobaron Peacock]]
 +
* [[Shinobaroness Peacock]]
 +
 
 
|synchro monsters =
 
|synchro monsters =
 
* [[Ancient Sacred Wyvern]]
 
* [[Ancient Sacred Wyvern]]
* [[Orient Dragon]]
+
 
* [[HTS Psyhemuth]]
 
* [[Armades, Keeper of Boundaries]]
 
 
|xyz monsters =
 
|xyz monsters =
* [[Slacker Magician]]
+
* [[Constellar Ptolemy M7]]
* [[Daigusto Emeral]]
 
* [[Lavalval Chain]]
 
 
* [[Gauntlet Launcher]]
 
* [[Gauntlet Launcher]]
* [[Constellar Ptolemy M7]]
 
 
* [[Photon Strike Bounzer]]
 
* [[Photon Strike Bounzer]]
* [[Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack]]
 
  
|spells =
+
|normal spells =
<!-- This is not an exact Decklist. Do not add multiples or staples.-->
 
* [[Sword of Kusanagi]]
 
* [[Orb of Yasaka]]
 
* [[Mirror of Yata]]
 
* [[Spring of Rebirth]]
 
 
* [[Creature Swap]]
 
* [[Creature Swap]]
 
* [[Mystic Box]]
 
* [[Mystic Box]]
* [[Dimensionhole]]
 
* [[Mausoleum of the Emperor]]
 
* [[Star Blast]]
 
* [[Exchange]]
 
* [[Pot of Duality]]
 
 
* [[Soul Exchange]]
 
* [[Soul Exchange]]
 +
 +
|equip spells =
 +
* [[Mirror of Yata]]
 +
* [[Orb of Yasaka]]
 +
* [[Sword of Kusanagi]]
 +
 +
|ritual spells =
 +
* [[Shinobird's Calling]]
 +
 +
|continuous spells =
 +
* [[Spring of Rebirth]]
 +
 +
|quick-play spells =
 
* [[Forbidden Chalice]]
 
* [[Forbidden Chalice]]
* [[Forbidden Lance]]
+
* [[The Monarchs Stormforth]]
* [[Burial from a Different Dimension]] ''(To retrieve Monsters who were banished to Summon "Yamato-no-Kami" and "Izanagi")
 
  
|traps =
+
|normal traps =
<!-- This is not an exact Decklist. Do not add multiples or staples.-->
+
* [[Legacy of Yata-Garasu]] (Combine with "Creature Swap", "Mystic Box", or "Hebo, Lord of the River")
* [[Legacy of Yata-Garasu]] (Combine with "Creature Swap" or "Mystic Box")
+
* [[Soul Transition]]
 +
* [[The Golden Apples]]
 +
 
 +
|continuous traps =
 +
* [[Metal Reflect Slime]]
 +
* [[Shinobird Salvation]]
 
* [[Spirit's Invitation]]
 
* [[Spirit's Invitation]]
* [[Metal Reflect Slime]]
+
* [[There Can Be Only One]]
* [[The Golden Apples]]
 
* [[Ultimate Offering]] ''(Traditional Format, only)''
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Trivia==
+
===Weaknesses===
 +
* Despite having several strong boss monsters, the lack of consistency support for Spirit monsters, and their inability to swarm the field for combo plays, still makes it difficult to quickly summon Spirit boss monsters. Most Spirit decks thus play extremely slowly, and their plays can be easily disrupted.
 +
* Because Spirit monsters have return to the hand during the End Phase, Spirit Decks have very little field-staying power, leaving the player's board wide open to the opponent's attacks.
 +
* "[[Rivalry of Warlords]]" and "[[Gozen Match]]" can slow this deck down, since Spirit monster Decks typically uses Spirits of different Types and Attributes.
 +
 
 +
==Examples==
 +
{{Show card image gallery
 +
| Amaterasu | Effect Spirit Monster
 +
| Shinobaron Peacock | Ritual Spirit Monster
 +
| Kuro-Obi Karate Spirit | Pendulum Spirit Monster
 +
}}
  
* Many of the Spirit monsters' designs are based on icons from Eastern mythology and they all have very similar backgrounds, supposedly of the ''Spirit World''. Their OCG names are given in [[Wikipedia:Kanji|kanji]], but the [[Wikipedia:Furigana|furigana]] would be given in [[Wikipedia:Katakana|katakana]] which normally would indicate a foreign-language word. These themes would also tie into the anime and manga's story; [[Maximillion Pegasus]], the creator of Duel Monsters, would not only have lifted specific cards of his game from Egyptian legends and his love of American cartoons, but would have drawn inspiration from the religions of Eastern Asia to create the Spirit monster type, after having extensively traveled in the continent.
+
==In the anime==
 +
In the ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! (anime)|Yu-Gi-Oh!]]'' anime, in episodes [[Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 117|117]] and [[Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 118|118]], [[Noah Kaiba]] used Spirit monsters in his duel against [[Yami Yugi]]. According to him, the Spirit monsters were created by [[Maximillion Pegasus]] when he was traveling to Eastern Asia and drew inspiration from the religions and mythologies from that region.
  
* The two most powerful Spirit monsters are "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" and "Yamata Dragon"; they are counterparts of each other. They are both high-level monsters with high ATK and DEF (also, both monsters' ATK and DEF have a sum of 5700), and have hand-based effects. The first empties your opponent's hand when it deals damage, and the second fills yours when it do the same. The fact that they are counterparts is emphasized on "[[Last Turn]]", where a battle between them is depicted.
+
In ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX]]'' and ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V]]'', "Asura Priest" and "Dark Dust Spirit" had cameo appearances, in episodes [[Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Episode 111|111]] and [[Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V - Episode 021|21]], respectively.
  
* One Spirit monster in particular, "Yata-Garasu", is infamous for its complete lockdown of the opponent's hand when combined with "[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]]"; however, both have been Forbidden since 2004 ''(see [[Yata-Garasu Lockdown]])''.
+
==Trivia==
  
* "Izanagi" is the only non-Spirit monster that have ''Spirit World'' on its background and the only non-Spirit monster that supports directly the Spirit monsters.
+
* All [[Pendulum Monster|Pendulum]] Spirit Monsters in the game are part of the "[[Martial Art Spirit]]" series.
 +
** They are the only Spirit Monsters that can be Special Summoned under any given circumstances, in which case it does not trigger their effect that returns them to the hand.
  
* "[[Soul Resurrection]]" is the only card that have the ''Spirit World'' on its background without having absolute no relation with the Spirit monsters.
+
* The Spirit monster "[[Yata-Garasu]]" is infamous for [[Yata-Garasu Lockdown|its complete lockdown]] of the opponent's hand when combined with "[[Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End]]"; thus, Yata-Garasu was [[Forbidden]] from 2004 until 2022.
  
* "Yamato-no-Kami" is the only Spirit monster that cannot be Normal Summoned and ''must'' be Special Summoned.
+
* "[[Izanagi]]" is the only non-Spirit Monster that has ''Spirit World'' in its background and is the only non-Spirit Monster that directly supports Spirit Monsters.
  
* "[[Gundari]]" is the first Spirit monster to be an [[Anti-support]] card for a specific kind of monster.
+
* "[[Soul Resurrection]]" is the only card that has the ''Spirit World'' in its background with absolutely no relation to Spirit Monsters.
  
* So far, there are no Archetypes composed purely or mainly by Spirit monsters; the only two Archetypes that have Spirit monsters as members are the "[[Ice Barrier]]" ("[[Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier]]") and the "[[Gishki]]" ("[[Gishki Natalia]]" and "[[Gishki Emilia|Emilia]]"). Both Archetypes are [[WATER]]-Atributted, which may reflect the mysticism that always surrounds this element, compensating somehow the fact these 3 Spirit monsters don't represent any figure of any mythology; also, these monsters represent the revived spirit of dead characters of their storyline.
+
* The effect that returns Spirit Monsters to the hand, as well as their transparent appearance, may be a reference to them not being able to stay on the physical plane for long.
  
* The effect that returns Spirit monsters to the hand as well as their transparent appearance may be a reference to them not being able to stay on the physical plane for long.
+
==See also==
 +
* [[Card Rulings:Spirit monster]]
  
 +
==Notes==
 +
<references group="Notes" />
  
{{Gameplay}}
+
{{Card types}}
  
 
[[Category:Secondary types of Monster Cards]]
 
[[Category:Secondary types of Monster Cards]]

Revision as of 13:09, 13 March 2024

Spirit monster

"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" and "Yamata Dragon" in the artwork of "Last Turn"
"Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" and "Yamata Dragon" in the artwork of "Last Turn"

Japanese

スピリット(モンスター)[Notes 1]

Japanese (romanized)

Supiritto (monsutā)

English

Spirit (monster)

Appears in (sets)
Appears in (anime)
Lists

Spirit monsters (スピリットモンスター Supiritto monsutā) are Effect Monsters with the ability "Spirit". Usually, they cannot be Special Summoned, and have an effect that returns them to the hand during the End Phase of the turn they are Normal Summoned or flipped face-up (or the turn they are Special Summoned, in case of Spirit monsters that must be Special Summoned). They debuted in Mythological Age and first received support in The Duelist Genesis, almost 7 years later.

The designs of most Spirit monsters are based on beings from Eastern mythology, primarily Japanese ones. They all have very similar purple backgrounds, and often feature onibi lights on their card artworks.

There are no archetypes focused on Spirit monsters, but the Shinobird and Martial Art Spirit series do. While most Spirit monsters are not members of an archetype, a few Spirit monsters belong to the "Ice Barrier" ("Sacred Spirit of the Ice Barrier") and "Gishki" ("Gishki Natalia" and "Emilia") archetypes, both of which exist in the Duel Terminal card storyline; these Spirit monsters are not based on mythological figures, but instead represent revived spirits of deceased characters in their storyline.

Characteristics

Shared effects

Most Spirit monsters share the following two effects:

  • Cannot be Special Summoned.
  • Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up this turn: Return it to the hand.

The effect to return to the hand during the End Phase only activates during the turn they are Normal Summoned or flipped face-up. If they do not return to the hand in that End Phase (such as due to "Dimensionhole" or "Forbidden Chalice"), this effect does not activate in subsequent turns. If a Spirit monster with this effect was Special Summoned face-up (which would usually require an effect that ignores the Summoning conditions), then this effect does not activate, as it was not Normal Summoned or flipped face-up.

These effects are not universal among all Spirit monsters. Notable exceptions include:

  • The Martial Art Spirits can be Special Summoned. They return to the hand during the End Phase of the turn they were Normal Summoned or flipped face-up, like most Spirit monsters.
  • "Yamato-no-Kami", "Konohanasakuya", and the Shinobird Ritual Monsters cannot be Normal Summoned/Set; they must be Special Summoned by their own Summoning procedure or Ritual Summon. They return to the hand during the End Phase of the turn they were Special Summoned.
  • "Amaterasu" cannot be Normal or Special Summoned; it must be Normal Set, and it still returns itself to hand during the End Phase of the turn it is flipped up.

Design

Most Spirit monsters are based on specific beings from Oriental mythology, which includes both Japanese Yōkai and various other Asian folklore. The only Spirit monsters not specifically based on Oriental mythology are the Martial Art Spirits, and the Spirit monsters belonging to the Duel Terminal storyline. The Shinobird series is, as a whole, based on the story of the Tanabata.

Most of these Spirit monsters' Japanese names are written in kanji with furigana written in katakana; this is a reference to how Japanese orthography commonly writes the names of major Japanese kami in katakana.

Mythological Spirit monsters
Spirit monster Origin
Konohanasakuya Konohanasakuya-hime
Amaterasu Amaterasu
Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi Kagutsuchi
Yamata Dragon Yamata no Orochi
Dark Dust Spirit Shinigami
Yamato-no-Kami Susanoo and the heads of Yamata no Orochi
Fenghuang Fenghuang or "Hou-Ou"
Great Long Nose Red Nose Tengu
Susa Soldier Susanoo and Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi
Yaksha Yaksha
Rasetsu Rakshasa
Amano-Iwato Ama no Iwato
Hebo, Lord of the River Kappa or Hebo
Asura Priest Asura
Maharaghi Shakoukidoguu
Fushi No Tori Phoenix
Izanami Izanami
Tsukuyomi Tsukuyomi
Gundari Kuṇḍali
Aratama, Nikitama, and Sakitama Mitama
Inaba White Rabbit Hare of Inaba
Otohime Oto-hime
Yata-Garasu Three-legged crow
Kinka-byo Bakeneko
Spirit support
Support card Origin
Izanagi Izanagi
Mirror of Yata Yata no Kagami
Sword of Kusanagi Kusanagi no Tsurugi
Orb of Yasaka Yasakani no Magatama

Playing style

Spirit monsters, as an individual Spirit-focused deck, are focused on overcoming their negative self-restrictions, and utilizing Spirit support cards to bring out powerful individual Spirit monsters and use their strong effects in the one turn they stay on the field. Due to their Main Deck nature and Special Summoning restriction, Spirit-focused Decks are primarily focused on Normal and Tribute Summoning; however, Spirit Decks focused on the Shinobird Ritual Spirit boss monsters focus on Ritual Summoning instead.

While Spirit monsters can be played as staple monsters in historical Decks due to having relatively strong effects that made up for their negative effects (relative to their contemporaries), most Spirit monsters have become obsolete as the metagame progressed.

Spirit monsters have a wide variety of effects. Key Spirit monsters that provide consistency include "Aratama", a monster searcher, "Nikitama" and "Sakitama", who grant extra Normal Summons to Spirits, and "Konohanasakuya", a Special Summon extender with a GY effect to let a Spirit monster stay on the field (by preventing its return-to-hand effect from activating).

Major Spirit boss monsters include the following:

  • "Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi" empties the opponent's entire hand before their Draw Phase if it inflicts battle damage.
  • "Yamata Dragon" fills its controller's hand with up to 5 cards if it inflicts battle damage.
  • "Dark Dust Spirit" destroys all other face-up monsters when Normal Summoned.
  • "Fenghuang" destroys all of the opponent's Set Spell/Traps when Normal Summoned.
  • "Amaterasu", which can only be Set, will Banish every card on the field other than itself if it flips face-up.
  • "Amano-Iwato", which prevents all non-Spirit monsters from activating their effects. It is arguably the most powerful Spirit boss monster, as it can be easily summoned, and provides a strong continuous lockdown effect, providing real field presence in the opponent's turn if the player manages to have "Amano-Iwato" stay on the field.

The Ritual Spirit monsters "Shinobaron Peacock" and "Shinobaroness Peacock", despite their status as Ritual monsters, are arguably the most accessible, powerful, and relevant Spirit monsters in the game. Being Ritual monsters, they have access to large amounts of Ritual support, including the powerful "Pre-Preparation of Rites". Their Ritual Spell, "Shinobird's Calling", can use GY Spirit monsters as resources for their Ritual Summon. Once Summoned, they can both remove up to 3 opposing cards and Special Summon a Spirit monster ignoring its Summoning conditions (typically "Amano-Iwato", which will stay on the field), and after they return to the hand in the End Phase, will float into two tokens. These two Ritual monsters are easily accessible and instantly provide removal and board presence upon hitting the field, making them extremely effective Spirit boss monsters.

In terms of supportive Spell/Traps, Spirits lack efficient consistency Spell/Traps, and mostly have obsolete battle-focused Spell/Traps or conditional card effects that remove their self-return effects. Two Spirit support Spell/Traps that still have some relevancy are "Shinobird Power Spot", which provides stat boosts and conditional searches, and "Shinobird Salvation", which destroys an opposing card when a Spirit monster returns to the hand.

Recommended cards

Weaknesses

  • Despite having several strong boss monsters, the lack of consistency support for Spirit monsters, and their inability to swarm the field for combo plays, still makes it difficult to quickly summon Spirit boss monsters. Most Spirit decks thus play extremely slowly, and their plays can be easily disrupted.
  • Because Spirit monsters have return to the hand during the End Phase, Spirit Decks have very little field-staying power, leaving the player's board wide open to the opponent's attacks.
  • "Rivalry of Warlords" and "Gozen Match" can slow this deck down, since Spirit monster Decks typically uses Spirits of different Types and Attributes.

Examples

In the anime

In the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, in episodes 117 and 118, Noah Kaiba used Spirit monsters in his duel against Yami Yugi. According to him, the Spirit monsters were created by Maximillion Pegasus when he was traveling to Eastern Asia and drew inspiration from the religions and mythologies from that region.

In Yu-Gi-Oh! GX and Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, "Asura Priest" and "Dark Dust Spirit" had cameo appearances, in episodes 111 and 21, respectively.

Trivia

  • All Pendulum Spirit Monsters in the game are part of the "Martial Art Spirit" series.
    • They are the only Spirit Monsters that can be Special Summoned under any given circumstances, in which case it does not trigger their effect that returns them to the hand.
  • "Izanagi" is the only non-Spirit Monster that has Spirit World in its background and is the only non-Spirit Monster that directly supports Spirit Monsters.
  • "Soul Resurrection" is the only card that has the Spirit World in its background with absolutely no relation to Spirit Monsters.
  • The effect that returns Spirit Monsters to the hand, as well as their transparent appearance, may be a reference to them not being able to stay on the physical plane for long.

See also

Notes

  1. The parentheses here specify what part is not shown on the cards' Type/Ability line.