The 19th Guide - From Good to Great

[Umbra]

As the title explains, this particular guide will tell you what to write, when to write it, and where to write it. The WWW of OCG, If I can say it myself. In other words,

SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION

 

The most important part of the WWW is the time factor. The effects on a card should be written in the order they are triggered. Let's have a look at Black Rose Dragon's effect for a minute.

 

 

 

(1)1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Synchro Summoned,(2) you can destroy all cards on the field. Once per turn,(3) you can remove from play 1 Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard from play to change 1 monster your opponent controls to Attack Position, and make its ATK 0 until the End Phase.

 

 

 

 

Take a closer look at points one, two, and three. First, there are the Synchro Materials, which shall always be written first. This might seem obvious, but it's only there because it follows the above trigger order rule. That part of the effect triggers while in the Extra Deck: The initial position for a Synchro Monster.

 

The second point triggers when the monster is Synchro Summoned, just after the Material has been sent to the Graveyard. Obviously, it comes next.

 

The third effect maintains while the monster is face-up on the field, which obviously is after the monster has been Synchro Summoned.

 

So, then you've learned the basics of the Trigger Order. But what about destruction? Monsters are destroyed all the time, when and where are we supposed to write that?

 

Well, the answer to that lies in the Trigger Order as well. Let's say we were upgrading the effect of Black Rose Dragon to better suit our needs. We'll add an effect when it destroys a monster by battle, and when it is destroyed itself.

 

 

 

(1)1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

When this card is Synchro Summoned,(2) you can destroy all cards on the field. Once per turn,(3) you can remove from play 1 Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard from play to change 1 monster your opponent controls to Attack Position, and make its ATK 0 until the End Phase. If this card destroys a monster by battle,(4) you can remove 1 Plant-type monster in your Graveyard from play to draw 1 card. When this card is destroyed(5) and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Plant-type monster from your Graveyard.

 

 

 

 

As you can see now, the fourth and fifth effects place themselves at the end, all thanks to the Trigger Order. The monster is obviously face-up on the field - which is needed for the third effect - before it destroys a monster by battle. So, the fourth is placed after the third.

 

IMPORTANT!The fifth, on the other hand, does not place itself after the fourth. It places itself at the end, which might not seem like much of a difference. But if you are going to add other effects, always add them before any effect that activates when the monster is destroyed. The destruction marks the end of the monster's lifespan, and therefore shouldn't have anything placed after it.

 

 

Notebook:

Whens and Ifs: There is a difference.

 

 

 

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Zombie-Type monster with 2000 or less DEF from your Deck.

 

When this card is Summoned, put 1 Spell Counter on a face-up card that you can put a Spell Counter on. If this card is destroyed by battle, you can select 1 Level 2 or lower Spellcaster-Type monster from your Deck and Special Summon it in face-down Defense Position.

 

 

 

 

The above effects belong to Pyramid Turtle and Apprentice Magician, two very similar monsters in their effects. However, one of the uses “When” and the other uses “If.” Why, you might ask. I'll tell you why in a minute.

 

First I will explain the difference between Whens and Ifs. Whens are usually more specific than Ifs, as can be seen above. Pyramid Turtle won't summon another Zombie once it has been destroyed by battle AND sent to the Graveyard, whereas the Apprentice Magician only needs itself to be destroyed by battle. However, a few selected monsters use very specific Ifs, such as Destiny Hero-Fear Monger. But in general, Ifs only need one specific thing to happen, while the Whens need more than one. Take a second look at the upgraded Black Rose Dragon we made above.

 

That's all for now.

[Chaotic Angel]

This helps, some of the newbies'll need this..

[Darth killa]

Nice it helped!!!10/10

[iKiller]

I've got it bookmarked, just incase, but the official OCG thread is still more useful. Sorry ;(

[Umbra]

I've got it bookmarked' date=' just incase, but the official OCG thread is still more useful. Sorry ;(

[/quote']

 

Obviously it's more useful. The Official thread tells you what you need to know, the terminology and the usage of it. Basically, the first of three W's, the What to write. This guide tells you of the two later ones, the Where to write and When to write.

[Dark]

I think both threads help. The OCG thread helps with basic OCG, while this goes more in depth with effects. I am so gonna use this. ;)

 

EDIT: The When/If issue bugs me all the time. I still don't get when to use which one.

[Umbra]

' pid='1309519' dateline='1225663809']

EDIT: The When/If issue bugs me all the time. I still don't get when to use which one.

 

If you look at the upgraded Black Rose Dragon again. The "If" effect refers to it destroying a monster by battle. Therefore, it is limited to destruction by battle. The effect won't activate if you destroy it with the first effect. However, the "When" effect activates when the monster itself is destroyed.

 

If you let me go complicated for a while, I'll say this. The If waits for a condition to be filled, while the When waits for something to happen. I don't know what it's called in English, but over here we call it "active and passive verbs". Destroying is not the same as being destroyed, right? The If is applied for active verbs, whilst the When is for passive.

 

Hope you understood parts of it.

[Wyhe]

you should get that stickied & hope that helps the n00bs here

[Kyub]

Yeah, that's confusing. Active and passive? :S I still don't get it. W/e. Bookmarked. I need this.

[Umbra]

Yeah' date=' that's confusing. Active and passive? :S I still don't get it. W/e. Bookmarked. I need this.

[/quote']

 

As I said, I don't know the English word for the verb forms. I'll try to explain them, and maybe one of you could fill me in on the terms?

 

Active Verbs: When you are doing the verb. (e.g. to destroy, to remove from play.)

 

Passive Verbs: When the verb is being done to you. (e.g. to be destroyed, to be removed from play.)

 

EDIT: Found a good site. (It is called active and passive verbs!)

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_actpass.html

[Hioco]

LAWL!!! ^^^

 

Good job umbra ^.^

[Carbon V3]

This is very helpfully.

[Doogle423]

this helped 9/10

[Umbra]

The idea of an archetype is a group of cards doing similar things and having similar names. Elemental Heroes for example, rely on using Fusion Monsters as beatsticks with powerful effects, while the Gladiator Beasts can search out others from your Deck, to give you an an almost unlimited supply of cards. Let's say you want to create your own archetype. What is the first thing you need to think of? What their stats should be? What you should call them? No.

 

Theme

 

What defines an archetype is it's theme. There are hundreds, if not thousands, possible themes your archetype could have. Deck thinning, burning, snatching, loading... But let's not get started on such things. There are easier ways to find a theme than making one from scratch. Let's take a look at one of my favorite cards: Colossal Fighter.

[spoiler=Colossal Fighter]

And for further reference, Colossal Fighter / Assault Mode.

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Colossal_Fighter/Assault_Mode

 

 

 

Both of the above cards use Warriors in the Graveyard to give advantage over the opponent, and can also bring back a powerful Warrior when they are destroyed. Both of them are also DARK Warriors, which provides more support for the Archetype. So, what would other cards in the Colossal archetype look like? Maybe something like this:

 

Colossal Charger

DARK

Warrior

5 / 2000 / 1800

You can Special Summon this card by removing 1 Warrior-type monster in your Graveyard from play. If this card was Special Summoned this way, it gains 400 ATK. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can return 1 Warrior-type monster that is removed from play to your Graveyard.

 

Colossal Breaker

DARK

Warrior / Tuner

3 / 1300 / 1200

This card gains 100 ATK for each Warrior-type monster in your Graveyard and on your side of the field. Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 Warrior-type monster you control (except this card) to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-type monster from your hand.

 

There you go. The Colossal Archetype has now been established, with monsters centering around using Warriors to wreak havoc on your opponent. But what if you want to make an archetype from scratch? An unwritten note? Well, read on.

 

Originality

 

To create an entirely new archetype, you need to think of a completely original theme. What I usually do is I try to think of ways of moving monsters and cards in general. From the field to the Graveyard? From the Deck to the hand? Removed from play to the hand? However, you should avoid sending cards into the deck: This makes it harder to draw the other cards you need. A perfect counter-example is Gladiator Beasts, who fatten the deck in order to thin it again. But they rely more on summoning from the deck rather than fattening into it.

 

Obviously, this is the most limited way of creating an archetype. A completely unique theme is, well, completely unique and not restricted to any of the above. The Psychic-type monsters act more or less like an Archetype, as they all focus on a common theme: Paying Life Points and regaining them with the tougher monsters, and there's the Morphtronics, whose effect depend on their Battle Position.

 

As an example of a unique archetype, I bring you... Oracle cards.

 

 

 

Oracle Mushwarrat

LIGHT

Spellcaster

4 / 0 / 2000

Once per turn, pick up the top 5 cards of your Deck, and select 1 of them. Add the selected card to your hand, and send the rest of the picked up cards to the bottom of your Deck.

 

Oracle Hammaresh

LIGHT

Spellcaster

3 / 0 / 1400

During your Draw Phase, before you draw, call the top card in your Deck's Card Type (Monster, Spell or Trap.) and look at it. If you called it correctly, add the card to your hand. Otherwise, put it at the bottom of your Deck.

 

Vision of Oracles

Spell Card

Activate only while you control an “Oracle” monster. Select 1 card in your Deck and place it on top of your Deck. If the card is added to your hand by the effect of an “Oracle” monster, that monster's effect is negated.

 

 

 

Oracle cards revolve around searching the top of your deck and adding cards to your hand. A simple idea that can be supported by cards such as “Vision of Oracles”, which then brings us to the OCG part of this guide.

 

Identification

 

There is one way, and exactly one way, to identify an archetype, and that is by name. Cards belonging to the same Archetype must have the same keyword in it's name. Keywords are placed within quotation marks, and followed by the type of card you're looking for. As an example, an “Elemental Hero” monster is a monster with “Elemental Hero” in it's card name.

[goldenboy820]

You are right, some really need this faq before posting...

[Valkyrie Lupia Blitzer]

Remember, the people who need it are the ones that don't read it, and the people who don't need it are the ones who read it.

[RyanAtlus]

Hey thanks. The triggeer order thing will help me I guess...

[jackmen10]

Also with the ifs and whens,

If a card says for example: "When this card is sent to the graveyard, you can...", that card can miss the timing right?

Where as if a card said "If this card is sent to the graveyard, you can...", that wouldn't miss the timing.

 

Is that right?

[Umbra]

Actually, it's the "you can" that makes the effect optional and therefore being able to miss the timing.

[bury the year]

Old question is old, but in English, I do believe they're called present and progressive.

[玄魔の王]

Why are you bothering to be so precise with what type of verb is what name?

 

These tips are very helpful, so I think most people (not just new members) should look at this on a regular basis to keep it fresh in their minds

[bury the year]

Why are you bothering to be so precise with what type of verb is what name?

 

'Cuz Umbra wanted to know. ;D

[Umbra]

That seems to be correct, yes. Methanks.