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Level 4 ATK and DEF conventions

The ATK and DEF of a Level 4 or lower monster tend to be limited by two unwritten conventions: the "2000 ATK convention" and the "2200 DEF convention". These conventions state that for a Level 4 monster to have an ATK or DEF equal to or higher than these values, it must have some kind of negative effect or other restriction (such as being a Nomi monster). For example, "Meklord Emperor Wisel" is a Level 1 Monster Card that has 2500 ATK and DEF; however, it cannot be Normal Summoned or Set.
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Convention of 2000 ATK[edit]

By convention, if a Level 4 or lower Normal Summon monster has more than 2000 ATK, it must have some negative effect or other restriction to limit its playability. If it has exactly 2000 ATK, it must either be a Normal Monster or have a negative effect.
For example, "Thunder King Rai-Oh" has 1900 ATK and is thus permitted to have a beneficial card effect. Conversely, "Panther Warrior" and "Zombyra the Dark" have 2000 and 2100 ATK respectively, and thus have the negative effects of requiring a Tribute in order to attack and losing ATK upon attacking, respectively.
Several Level 4 Normal Monsters have 2000 ATK, outclassing monsters with 2000 ATK and negative effects. They all have either 100 or 0 DEF. There are currently 11 such monsters: "Alexandrite Dragon", "Gene-Warped Warwolf", "Gunkan Suship Shari", "Leotron", "Megalosmasher X", "Mekk-Knight Avram", "Mystery Shell Dragon", "Phantom Gryphon", "Photon Token", "Shiny Black "C" Squadder", "Zombino".
During the TCG reveal of "Alexandrite Dragon", the second ever such monster, it was described as having "the maximum possible ATK for a Level 4 Normal Monster."[1]
Level 4 or lower monsters can have effects that conditionally causes their ATK to exceed 2000 without needing to have negative effects, as the conditionality of their ATK is effectively a negative effect. For example, "Ghost Bird of Bewitchment" has an original ATK of 1300, but gains 1000 ATK if it is in the leftmost Monster Zone, giving it 2300 ATK without a negative effect.
Level 4 or lower Main Deck monsters with 2000 ATK or more[edit]
There are currently 98 Level 4 or lower Main Deck monsters with 2000 ATK or more in the TCG/OCG.
Name | Japanese name | Primary type | Secondary type | Attribute | Type | Level | ATK | DEF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexandrite Dragon | アレキサンドライドラゴン | Normal Monster | LIGHT | Dragon | 4 | 2000 | 100 | |
Archfiend General | ジェネラルデーモン | Effect Monster | DARK | Fiend | 4 | 2100 | 800 | |
Armor Exe | Effect Monster | LIGHT | Rock | 4 | 2400 | 1400 | ||
Arsenal Bug | アーマード・フライ | Effect Monster | EARTH | Insect | 3 | 2000 | 2000 | |
Axe Dragonute | アックス・ドラゴニュート | Effect Monster | DARK | Dragon | 4 | 2000 | 1200 | |
Battlin' Boxer Glassjaw | Effect Monster | FIRE | Warrior | 4 | 2000 | 0 | ||
Berserk Gorilla | Effect Monster | EARTH | Beast | 4 | 2000 | 1000 | ||
Boar Soldier | ボアソルジャー | Effect Monster | EARTH | Beast-Warrior | 4 | 2000 | 500 | |
Bujin Hirume | Effect Monster | LIGHT | Beast-Warrior | 4 | 2000 | 1000 | ||
Cave Dragon | グランド・ドラゴン | Effect Monster | WIND | Dragon | 4 | 2000 | 100 |
Showing first 10 results, of 98 total ¦ Show next 10 results ¦ Show first [20 · 50] results ¦ Show all 98 results (all links open a new page) |
Convention of 2200 DEF[edit]

By convention, if a Level 4 or lower Normal Summon monster has more than 2200 DEF, it must have some negative effect or other restriction.
For example, "Gladiator Beast Hoplomus" and "Gear Golem the Moving Fortress" have 2100 and 2200 DEF respectively, and are allowed to have positive effects. Conversely, "Big Shield Gardna" has 2600 DEF and has the negative effect of being forced to switch to Attack Position after being attacked. "Noble Knight Brothers" (which has 2400 DEF) does not have a negative effect that is relevant while it is in Defense Position, but does have an effect that restricts its attacks.
Currently, no cards in the OCG/TCG break this convention.
Level 4 or lower Main Deck monsters with 2200 DEF or more[edit]
There are currently 31 Level 4 or lower Main Deck monsters with 2200 DEF or more in the TCG/OCG.
Name | Japanese name | Primary type | Secondary type | Attribute | Type | Level | ATK | DEF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adamancipator Crystal - Dragite | Effect Monster | WATER | Rock | 4 | 0 | 2200 | ||
Adamancipator Crystal - Leonite | Effect Monster | FIRE | Rock | 4 | 0 | 2200 | ||
Adamancipator Crystal - Raptite | Effect Monster | WIND | Rock | 4 | 0 | 2200 | ||
Anesthrokket Dragon | アネスヴァレット・ドラゴン | Effect Monster | DARK | Dragon | 1 | 0 | 2200 | |
BM-4 Blast Spider | BM-4ボムスパイダー | Effect Monster | DARK | Machine | 4 | 1400 | 2200 | |
Big Shield Gardna | ビッグ・シールド・ガードナー | Effect Monster | EARTH | Warrior | 4 | 100 | 2600 | |
Boycotton | ボイコットン | Effect Monster | EARTH | Plant | 4 | 1000 | 2500 | |
Destiny HERO - Defender | Effect Monster | DARK | Warrior | 4 | 100 | 2700 | ||
Emperor Sem | エンペラー・ストゥム | Effect Monster | LIGHT | Fiend | 4 | 1300 | 2200 | |
Gear Golem the Moving Fortress | Effect Monster | EARTH | Machine | 4 | 800 | 2200 |
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Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel[edit]
In Rush Duel, Level 4 or lower Normal Monsters typically can only have 1500 or less ATK/DEF, while Effect Monsters can only have 1400 or less ATK/DEF. The only non-Legend monster to break this convention is "Transamu Rainac", a Normal Monster with 1600 ATK, which is pointed out when it is Summoned in Yu-Gi-Oh! GO RUSH!!.
Prior to the release of "Cycliptron" in Maximum Ultra Evolution Pack, the highest DEF on a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster was 1400, although "Ichthyosteguard" previously appeared in the Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS anime with 1500 DEF.
Level 4 or lower monsters with 1500 ATK or more in Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel[edit]
There are currently 49 Level 4 or lower monsters with 1500 ATK or more in Rush Duel.
Name | Japanese name | Primary type | Attribute | Type | Level | ATK | DEF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abyss Soldier | アビス・ソルジャー | Effect Monster | WATER | Aqua | 4 | 1800 | 1300 |
Alien Shocktrooper | エーリアン・ソルジャー | Normal Monster | EARTH | Reptile | 4 | 1900 | 800 |
Alligator's Sword | ワイバーンの | Normal Monster | EARTH | Beast | 4 | 1500 | 1200 |
Anglercoil | チョウチンアンコイル | Normal Monster | WATER | Thunder | 4 | 1500 | 0 |
Aqua Sorcerer | アクア・ソーサラー | Normal Monster | WATER | Spellcaster | 4 | 1500 | 0 |
Archfiend Marmot of Nefaribousness | デーモン・カルビーバー | Normal Monster | FIRE | Beast | 4 | 1500 | 0 |
Armored Lizard | Normal Monster | EARTH | Reptile | 4 | 1500 | 1200 | |
Atlas Combat Beetle | アトラス・コンバット・ビートル | Normal Monster | DARK | Insect | 4 | 1500 | 0 |
Baked Bean Soldier | Normal Monster | FIRE | Plant | 4 | 1500 | 0 | |
Bright Sentinel | ブライト・センチネル | Normal Monster | LIGHT | Galaxy (Type) | 4 | 1500 | 100 |
Showing first 10 results, of 49 total ¦ Show next 10 results ¦ Show first 20 results ¦ Show all 49 results (all links open a new page) |
Level 4 or lower monsters with 1500 DEF or more in Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel[edit]
There are currently 13 Level 4 or lower monsters with 1500 DEF or more in Rush Duel.
Name | Japanese name | Primary type | Attribute | Type | Level | ATK | DEF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beaver Warrior | ルイーズ | Normal Monster | EARTH | Beast-Warrior | 4 | 1200 | 1500 |
CAN:D ALL | Effect Monster Fusion Monster | LIGHT | Psychic | 4 | 2000 | 1500 | |
Century Ancient Wooden Sword | Normal Monster | EARTH | Warrior | 4 | 100 | 1500 | |
Cycliptron | サイクリプトロン | Normal Monster | LIGHT | Cyberse | 4 | 100 | 1500 |
Ewekai Grounmouton | Normal Monster | EARTH | Beast | 1 | 0 | 1500 | |
Griffore | グリフォール | Normal Monster | EARTH | Beast | 4 | 1200 | 1500 |
Heartless Hound Blade Aikuchihuahua | Normal Monster | DARK | Beast-Warrior | 1 | 0 | 1500 | |
Ichthyosteguard | イクチオステガード | Normal Monster | WATER | Aqua | 3 | 0 | 1500 |
Luster Dragon | サファイアドラゴン | Normal Monster | WIND | Dragon | 4 | 1900 | 1600 |
Mystical Elf | ホーリー・エルフ | Normal Monster | LIGHT | Spellcaster | 4 | 800 | 2000 |
Showing first 10 results, of 13 total ¦ Show remaining 3 results ¦ Show all 13 results (all links open a new page) |