Forum:Archetype vs. Series

I was wondering when something is considered an Archetype and when something is considered a Series. Where is the line that has to be crossed in order to be considered an Archetype?

I was wondering because some of my friends are planning to make a tiny tournament, where Archetypes are basically "banned". Series of cards, however, should be fine as they are usually smaller and lack the specific support that Archetypes have. However, there has been some confusion about what qualifies as an Archetype and what qualifies as a Series. For instance, none of us is sure whether Fire King should be considered an Archetype or a Series. Reading both articles on Archetypes and Series didn't really help.

From my Understanding:

• Archetypes: Many cards that support each other, with a lot of S/T support (i.e. Mermail)
• Series: Few cards, no or barely S/T support (i.e. Hands)

Am I right? --BronzeJohnson (talk • contribs) 08:17, June 7, 2014 (UTC)

All series are 3 or more similar cards that have no support at all. If they have even only 1 support card, they become archetypes.

For example, when "Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force" came out, it was a lonely card. With "Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian's Force", it gained a similar card. With the 3rd, "Rank-Up-Magic Numeron Force", "Rank-Up-Magic" was defined as a series of Spell Cards having the habit of Ranking Up Xyz Monsters. With the existence of "Rank-Up Advantage", RUMs turned into an archetype, because then they were supported.

Another case are "Photons", which were a series until we saw "Photon Lizard" in the anime. --XBrain130™「Ｘ（エックス）ブレーン１３０」 09:57, June 7, 2014 (UTC)

I see, thanks for clearing that up. It's funny how wrong my friends and me were. Oh well, we cancelled the tournament for now, but we might think of something else. --BronzeJohnson (talk • contribs) 20:56, June 11, 2014 (UTC)

If you decide to have a similar tournament again, this list should be helpful. --Golden Key (talk • contribs) 22:42, June 11, 2014 (UTC)