Master Rules

The Master Rules are a series of card rules that were applied in the OCG since the beginning of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. The Master Rules are a modified version of the New Expert Rules, which basically consists on altering the rules along with some well-known Dueling terms. In the TCG, rule changes don't have formal names like they do in the OCG.

Master Rules

The Master Rules came into effect in the OCG with the release of Starter Deck 2008.

• Introduced Tuner monsters, Synchro Monsters and Synchro Summons.

• Introduced terminology changes:
  • Sacrifice Summon → Advance Summon
  • Sacrifice → Release
  • Fusion Deck → Extra Deck

• Introduced limitations on the number of cards allowed in the Deck.
  • Main Deck: 40-60 cards
  • Extra Deck: 0-15 cards
  • Side Deck: 0-15 cards

Master Rules 2

The Master Rules 2 came into effect in the OCG with the release of Starter Deck 2011.

• Introduced Xyz Monsters, Ranks and Xyz Summons.
• Removed the Ignition Effect Priority.

Master Rules 3

The Master Rules 3 came into effect in the OCG with the release of Starter Deck 2014.

• Introduced Pendulum Zones, Pendulum Monsters, Pendulum Scales and Pendulum Summons.

• Introduced terminology changes:
  • Monster Card Zone → Monster Zone
  • Spell & Trap Card Zone → Spell & Trap Zone
  • Field Card Zone → Field Zone

• Introduced a new standardization of the card texts similar to the TCG Problem-Solving Card Text.

• Change in rules:
  • The first player no longer draws during their first Draw Phase.
  • Each player can control 1 face-up Field Spell Card on their field.
    • If a player places a Field Spell Card on their field, the previous Field Spell Card is sent to the Graveyard instead of being destroyed.

• Simplified the Damage Step into 5 timings:
  • Start of the Damage Step
  • Before damage calculation
  • During damage calculation
  • After damage calculation
  • End of the Damage Step

New Master Rules

The New Master Rules came into effect in the OCG with the release of Starter Deck 2017 and in the TCG with the equivalent Starter Deck: Link Strike.

• Introduced Link Monsters, Link Markers, Link Summons and Linked States.
• Changed the layout of the playing field.
  • The Pendulum Zones were moved into the Spell & Trap Zones.
  • The existing Monster Zones were classified as Main Monster Zones.
  • 2 new Monster Zones, the Extra Monster Zones, were introduced, located in the 2nd and 4th columns between the 2 sides of the field, and are exclusively used for the Summoning of monsters from the Extra Deck.
    • While an Extra Monster Zone is unoccupied, it does not belong to either player's field.

• Monsters Special Summoned from the Extra Deck must be Summoned to either an Extra Monster Zone or a Main Monster Zone a Link Monster points to.