Frog

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Frog
"D.3.S. Frog", three "Treeborn Frogs" and three "Des Frogs" all in the artwork of "D.3.S. Frog"
"D.3.S. Frog", three "Treeborn Frogs" and three "Des Frogs" all in the artwork of "D.3.S. Frog"
Japanese
  • ガエル
  • Gaeru (romanized)
French
  • Grenouille
German
  • Frosch
Italian
  • RANA
Korean
  • 개구리
  • Gaeguri (romanized)
Portuguese
  • Sapo
Spanish
  • RANA
Sets
Anime appearances
Lists

"Frog" (ガエル Gaeru) is an archetype of WATER Aqua-Type monsters archetype that debuted in Cybernetic Revolution. This archetype is the first WATER archetype and the first Aqua-Type archetype. The archetype is used by Princess Rose in the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX anime.

The Toad series is a related series of monsters that support the "Frog" archetype.

"Froggy Forcefield" is not a "Frog" card, because it does not have 「ガエル」 in its Japanese name. "Slime Toad", previously known as "Frog the Jam", is also not a "Frog" card because of its Japanese name, and was renamed to clarify this.

In Italian and Spanish, since November 2016, the archetype name is capitalized as "RANA". This prevents the archetype name clashing with other archetype names in those languages, such as "Ancient Gear" ("Ingranaggio Antico" in Italian). This is similar to how the "LV" and "HERO" archetypes are capitalized in all TCG languages.

Design

True to their their name, the "Frog" as well as the related Toad monsters resemble their real-life counterparts. Some "Frog" monsters like "Flip Flop Frog" and "Poison Draw Frog" showcase their long, sticky tongues in their artwork. Most of the "Frog" and Toad monsters have distinctive colorful markings on their bodies and heads, most notably "Swap Frog", "Dupe Frog", "Beelze Frog", and "Ronintoadin".

Some "Frog" and Toad monsters resemble angels like "Amphibian Angel - Frog-Hael" and "Treeborn Frog, while others resemble demons like "Beelze Frog" and "Swap Frog". This thematic resemblance to angels and demons is further highlighted by the contrasting half-angel, half-demon appearances of "Substitoad" and "Tradetoad".

Members

All members of the "Frog" (ガエル Gaeru) archetype, as well as members of the Toad (カエル Kaeru) series (which support the "Frog" archetype), integrate puns into their Japanese names. While both Gaeru and Kaeru mean "Frog" in Japanese, the latter is translated as Toad in the TCG in order to distinguish the different words.

The puns in their names mostly rely on the fact that Gaeru (ガエル) and Kaeru (カエル) are homonymous with the plain form conjugation of some Japanese verbs. These puns were not retained in the TCG names, if not replaced by different ones, since they are mostly untranslateable.

"Frog" Japanese (romaji) Japanese (base) Japanese (translation) Japanese pun (base) Japanese pun (translation)
Amphibian Angel - Frog-Hael Ryōseirui Tenshi - Migaeru 両生類天使-ミ・ガエル Amphibian Angel - Mifrog 両生類天使-ミカエル Amphibian Angel Michael
Beelze Frog Amagaeru 悪魔ガエル Devil Frog 雨蛙 Japanese tree frog
D.3.S. Frog Gaeru Sandesu ガエル・サンデス Frog Three-Death ガエルさんです I'm Mr. Frog
Des Frog Desugaeru デスガエル Death Frog ですがえる to come across
Dupe Frog Machigaeru 魔知ガエル Evil Wisdom Frog 間違える to make a mistake
Flip Flop Frog Uragaeru 裏ガエル Reverse Frog 裏返る to be turned inside-out
Poison Draw Frog Hikigaeru 引きガエル Draw Frog 蟇蛙 Japanese common toad
Submarine Frog Michigaeru 未知ガエル Unknown Frog 見違える to be hardly recognized
Swap Frog Onigaeru 鬼ガエル Ogre Frog 着替える to change clothes
Treeborn Frog Yomigaeru 黄泉ガエル Underworld Frog 蘇る to be revived
Unifrog Kangaeru 貫ガエル Penetrating Frog 考える to think about

Playing style

Though weak, "Frog" cards can unleash devastating effects that include rapid Summoning, the option to increase their ATK or protect themselves from destruction, and wiping out all cards the opponent controls. Many "Frog" cards have low Levels, which lets them benefit from cards like "Gravity Bind", "Pride of the Weak" and "Graceful Revival".

One card that kept "Frogs" versatile and powerful was "Substitoad", but after Frog FTK won the 2010 World Championships, it was Forbidden, so many "Frog" Decks lost their supreme speed. "One for One" allows easy Summoning of "Substitoad", so a Normal Summon/Set is not spent to get "Substitoad" out.

Deck types

Wetlands Beatdown

Frog Decks benefit the most from the use the Field Spell "Wetlands" that increases the ATK of all Level 2 or lower WATER/Aqua Monsters by 1200. The goal of a Wetlands Beatdown Deck is usually to provide an early game beatdown and then lock down an increasingly defensive opponent through cards like "Gravity Bind", a Double "Dupe Frog" Lock, or the effect of "Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier". "Dewdark of the Ice Barrier" works with "Unifrog" with their ability to attack directly. "Flip Flop Frog" can be set up during a lockdown to clear the opponent's field and get an OTK.

"Terraforming" and "Metaverse" can easily search for "Wetlands". With "Wetlands", on the field, the Attribute Boosters "Star Boy" and "Mistar Boy" can further power up "Frog" and Toad monsters to staggering values in a flash. The level 2 Aqua WATER monster "Performapal Turn Toad" can easily turn defensive "Dupe Frog"s, "Ronintoadin"s, "Substitoad"s and "Tradetoad"s into offensive beatsicks.

Because this Deck heavily revolves around "Wetlands" and can easily swarm the field with "Frog" monsters, it can easily accommodate an "Earthbound Immortal". "Earthbound Immortal Chacu Challhua" works superbly because its effect lets it deal damage even with cards like "Gravity Bind" active. "Earthbound Immortals" that require Tributes for their effects, such as "Earthbound Immortal Uru", also have great synergy with the Frogs' aforementioned swarming power.

When incorporating Synchros, "Junk Synchron" works very well as almost all "Frog" monsters are Level 2 or lower, but "Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier" is also an excellent tuner as "Wetlands" grants him 2500 ATK. "Fishborg Blaster" (Traditional Format only) and "Deep Sea Diva" are good Tuners to include in a Frog Deck; they are easily Special Summoned and benefit from "Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord", "Water Hazard" and other WATER support "Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier" can be easily summoned using "Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier" and a "Mother Grizzly" or two of any Level two monster. The Synchro monster "Junk Warrior" can boast a very high attack by gaining the attack of every Level 2 monster on the field with its effect which means "Wetlands" makes it incredibly strong if you have at least one "Frog" monster on the field.

Frog Monarch

This Deck type uses the "Frog" monsters as an engine for the "Monarch" monsters. The idea of this Deck is to use "Treeborn Frog", "Swap Frog" and "Ronintoadin" to generate tribute fodder. Another purpose of "Swap Frog" is to send "Treeborn Frog" or "Ronintoadin" to the Graveyard and to return "Monarchs" to hand for later use. "Swap Frog" can also be used to abuse the effect of "Raiza the Storm Monarch" by returning it to the hand and reusing it to continually return a card controlled by the opponent to the top of their Deck, preventing them from drawing new cards.

Toadally Awesome Beatdown

"Toadally Awesome" is a very powerful Toad monster that has an effect that can negate the activation of any Spell/Trap Card or monster effect, then Set that card on the activator's field. A well-structured usage of "Ronintoadin" and "Swap Frog" can easily swarm the field and grave with Level 2 monsters to either Summon "Toadally Awesome" or be used as fodder for it. Aditionally, "Toadally Awesome" can special summon "Frog" monsters directly from the deck, further increasing the Deck's consistency.

Lancer Frogs

This Deck uses the Toad monster "Ronintoadin" to summon itself by banishing Frog monsters in the graveyard, while "Sea Lancer" takes advantage of those banished Frog monsters by using them as equip cards. This method effectively recycles banished Frog monsters, which can potentially be reused by "Ronintoadin. "Toadally Awesome" can be brought out frequently with this Deck being able to Summon Level 2 Aqua monsters very quickly. It is recommended to use both "Dupe Frog" and "Poison Draw Frog" because both get their effects when they are sent as "Sea Lancer's" equip card to the Graveyard.

Des Frog OTK

Basically, the central strategy of this deck and win in a single turn by destroying all cards on the opponent’s field by using "Des Croaking" and subsequently delivering the finishing blow by attacking with all three "Des Frog"s.

As a central requirement for the use of "Des Croaking", there must be at least three "Des Frog"s on the field, which can be accomplished easily either by Tribute Summoning “Des Frog” and using its own effect, or through the use of "Inferno Reckless Summon" as a tech card.

When Tribute Summoning "Des Frog" to summon copies of itself, at least 2 "T.A.D.P.O.L.E.s" must be in the Graveyard to make the most use out of its effect. Cards such as "Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls" and "Foolish Burial" can help send "T.A.D.P.O.L.E."s to the Graveyard. "T.A.D.P.O.L.E." from the Deck. "Swap Frog" can use its effect to send up to two "T.A.D.P.O.L.E."s from the Deck to the Graveyard and can allow an extra normal summon, allowing "Des Frog" to hit the field faster.

Another method to have three "Des Frog"s on the field is through the use of "Inferno Reckless Summon. Once "Ronintoadin" is summoned from the Graveyard, "Inferno Reckless Summon" can Special Summon up to three copies of "Des Frog"s from the Deck. Keep in mind the both "Ronintoadin" and "Dupe Frog" have effects that treat them as "Des Frog" while Face-up on the field, easing the requirement for the use of "Des Croaking".

Once "Des Croaking" accomplished its task to clear the opponent's field, it will be relatively easy to assault your opponent's life points. Cards such as "Solidarity" and "United We Stand" can help deal enough Battle damage to the opponent with the three "Des Frogs" and win the duel. Using the three "Swap Frogs" as Fusion Materials, "D.3.S. Frog" can be strategically Fusion Summoned and be "De-Fusioned during the Battle Phase, creatively accomplishing the OTK. However, strategically Xyz Summoning Rank 5 monsters like "Shark Fortress" can compensate for a failed OTK.

Frog Burn FTK (Classic)

This Deck abuses the effect of the Toad monster "Ronintoadin" to continously summon itself from the graveyard as a fodder for the effect of "Mass Driver", "Cannon Soldier", or a card with the effect that tributes monsters to inflict direct damage to the opponent's life points ("Catapult Turtle" will not work because "Ronintoadin"'s attack is far too low). This "First Turn Kill" strategy involves the key card "Substitoad" to fill the graveyard with enough "Frog" monsters that will be used by "Ronintoadin" to fuel its own effect.

Once the necessary cards are set, this FTK is hard to stop, and relatively easy to accomplish. Once "Substitoad" is on the field (easy with "One for One" or "Swap Frog" + "Salvage") with another monster, the graveyard can be easily filled with as many "Frog" monsters as possible. "Swap Frog" can easily send "Ronintoadin" to the graveyard once summoned with the effect of "Substitoad". By the time that the graveyard is ready, "Mass Driver" is used to tribute a "Ronintoadin" to inflict direct damage to the ooponent. Since "Ronintoadin" can continously revive itself, "Mass Driver" can repeat the process until the opponent's LP hits 0. A "Cannon Soldier" or its Toon counterpart "Toon Cannon Soldier" (searchable by "Toon Table of Contents") can be used instead of a "Mass Driver", but since it has to be summoned to the field first, "Double Summon" will be very useful.

With the banning of "Substitoad" in September 2010 and "Mass Driver" in March 2011, this classic strategy is no longer playable in the Advanced Format.

Dragon Frog Exodia (Classic)

The strategy of this classic deck is use the effect of the Toad monster "Substitoad" to continously send Frog monsters from the field to the graveyard while the latter is affacted with and effect that Changes Type such as "DNA Surgery" and "D. Tribe", and finally use the effect of "Super Rejuvenation" to draw through the rest of the Deck during the End Phase and cause a win condition using the 5 parts of "Exodia".

Like most "Frog" combos, the use of "One for One" is crucial to easily summon "Substitoad" as fast as possible, and setting up the rest of the three card combo. Another card that could be used is "A Cat of Ill Omen" to search for "DNA Surgery", as well as "Magical Mallet" / "Hand Destruction" to allow controlled drawing of the other cards necessary for the combo without losing any parts of "Exodia".

Bear in mind that "Poison Draw Frog" or "Dupe Frog" miss timing when tributed as a cost for "Substitoad"'s effect so their effects do not activate in the graveyard.

Weaknesses

Cards such as "Zombie World" will prevent the summoning of "Toadally Awesome". Effects od cardsnthat banish cards being sent to the Graveyard such as "Masked HERO Dark Law" and "Dimensional Fissure" greatly hampers the strategies of "Frog" and Toad monsters. "D.D. Crow", "Banisher of the Light" and "Dimensional Fissure" are useful against strageies that involve the use of "Substitoad.