(TWILTY)

(EpicLinkSam)

(Frost)

(Ed)

(Cherry-Witch)

(8bitUtopia)

(Aqua)

(Hearts)

(Bananabot24)

(Trashy)

(Blue Igneous)

Ash Ketchum, the Pokémon World Champion.

Yugi Muto, the King of Games.

Whether it’s having adventures with Digimon, letting Beyblades rip, or brawling with Bakugan, we always got up early on Saturdays when it came to watching Mons in action, imagining ourselves in the hero’s shoes. To be the best like no one ever was, and to stand atop as the king, which both Pokémon the Series and Yu-Gi-Oh! embraced wholeheartedly. The bonds of friendship and trust have pushed both Ash and Yugi on journeys from humble beginnings to legendary champions. While their stories have come to an end and they’ve passed the torch, these two masters of monsters will close out the 2025 season with one last battle like no other. Will Ash overcome the loyal monsters of the King of Games and the Nameless Pharaoh? Or will the Heart of the Cards bring Yugi and Yami victory against the World Champion and his partners? It’s time to duel and catch ‘em all in a D-D-D-DEATH BATTLE!

Before We Start…

As Ash and Yugi both have long and extensive histories, we will try to cover everything we possibly can. If there’s anything missing (especially in the case of Yugi and all the various cards he’s used throughout his many video game appearances), it won’t play too heavily into the verdicts as the most important parts will be listed, being the ones doing the heavy lifting.

Pokémon is a highly successful RPG video game franchise, and Yu-Gi-Oh is a massive trading card franchise, with both having many official tournaments even to this day. Official game mechanics will be taking a backseat for this though, as we’ll primarily be analyzing the anime for both. Though it may be used for supporting evidence regarding character info, series lore, etc.

For consistency, we will be sticking with English Dub terms for names and other terminology, as they’re still used even now for official works (thanks, 4Kids). We’ll be saying Ash Ketchum instead of Satoshi (90% of the world does this anyways), and we’ll say Slifer the Executive Producer Sky Dragon instead of The Sky Dragon of Osiris. While we obviously won’t be referring to rice balls as jelly donuts, this means we will not be including elements related to the Shadow Realm, since that was a Dub only creation. On this note however, the original Japanese Dub will be the primary focus for analysis, given it’s the original script.

On that note, finally, the key media. The primary focus for Ash will be the anime and canon adjacent movies. The additionally adjacent but not (always, there are exceptions) fully canon movies will also be analyzed, as well any important references to Ash in other media like manga or games like Masters. As for Yugi, the main focus will be the manga timeline (original manga, Duelist, R, Millennium World and Dark Side of Dimensions) and anime timeline (Duel Monsters, GX, 5D’s/Bonds Beyond Time). The Toei anime (more commonly known as Season 0) and manga timelines for GX and 5D’s will also be used as supporting evidence. Anything additional from games such as Duel Links are for supporting evidence or for completion reasons.

Background

Background images by Aqua

Ash Ketchum

“I’m Ash, from Pallet Town.”

In the quiet Pallet Town, it was a special morning. A young ten year old boy slept, dreaming of being the very best, like no one ever was. Unfortunately, his real test wasn’t catching them, but waking up on time. Ash Ketchum was about to begin his Pokémon journey, and it was going to be a complete shock compared to how he thought it’d go. Late arrival meant getting a Pikachu instead of Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle. But the power that was inside that yellow rat paved Ash’s destiny with a spark of thunder. After a rocky start involving a zapped bike and the last time anyone would ever care about Spearow, Ash and Pikachu made a connection that would last forever. The journey had begun, and the fast friends set on to conquer the road ahead of them.

But it seems like Ash has a knack for everything happening being nothing he expects. Becoming friends with people you’d never think you’d get along with, catching Pokémon you’d never think you’d want, but through it all one thing was clear: Ash, for all his faults, cared about Pokémon. There was a world to protect and he was willing to do it, helping one Pokémon at a time. Of course, the Pokémon League challenge stayed his primary goal. Eight badges, a Brock, a Misty, and a plethora of other problems gained later, he made it to the tournament… only to taste bitter defeat. It hurt, but Ash and Pikachu knew the journey was just getting started.

After all, he would go on to win the Orange Islands’ own tournament. A lot of trainers (and people who never watched the show) have made the mistake thinking that Ash is some pushover, only to be shocked by his incredible creativity and determination. No matter what Pokémon he threw out onto the battlefield. So even after losing the Johto League, he kept traveling and didn’t throw in the towel. Same deal with Hoenn, despite the third time supposedly being the charm. But after this many losses, and with his recklessness and naive acceptance of adding supposedly weak Pokémon to his team, was Ash even a good trainer? Someone like his Sinnoh rival Paul would think so, only to be beaten on the biggest stage. It didn’t matter if Ash kept losing, as long as he kept trying. After all, there was no greater joy for Ash and Pikachu to keep the story going. Others doubting their ideals be ignored, as long as they could shine.

So he went to Unova, but lost the League there. Tried Kalos, advanced further and got to his first ever finals, but lost again. Alola was unique in it having its first ever League, but he would… go on to win. After this ten year old’s two decades of perseverance, he finally had the big crown! Couldn’t fit on all his Pokémon at the same time, but hey, that just means you need a bigger one right? So Ash and Pikachu took their quest of battle dominance and new friend acquisition global, until Ash would have his toughest battle ever against Galar League Champion Leon. But having gone this far, with countless friends cheering for them, Ash and Pikachu weren’t going to waste this opportunity. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt to light the fireworks! World champion status had at long last been acquired. Ash’s dream of becoming a Pokémon Master…

Was only getting started, actually. After his win, Ash contemplated on things. After a couple last adventures with his original Kanto friends, and discussion with his first ever rival, Gary, he came to a conclusion: he wasn’t a master at all, he was still the challenger. He still had every Pokémon in the world to meet! To befriend! And so, the dynamic duo set off from Pallet town yet again. To journey worldwide, and see everything he could see. Thus the journey would never end, only continue. For Ash Ketchum and Pikachu continued to live the dream, to be the very best that they were always striving to be.

Yugi Muto

“It’s time to duel!”

Yugi Muto was once a friendless boy who had a love for games and puzzles. Living in his grandfather Solomon Muto’s game shop, he came upon a box containing pieces of an artifact known as the Millennium Puzzle. He spent 8 years trying to complete it, but was unsuccessful for so long. When the school bullies Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor picked on him and even stole parts of the puzzle, the hall monitor Tetsu Trudge beat them up under the impression Yugi was being bullied. But to everyone’s surprise, Yugi instead stood up for the two, saying they were his friends. Trudge attempted to extort Yugi with bodyguard fees (and even threatened him with a knife), but Joey had returned the stolen piece of the puzzle. With a bond created, Yugi finished the Millennium Puzzle, making a wish upon it for friends. But to his surprise, the spirit dwelling inside, only known as the Nameless Pharaoh, became one with him. He confronted Trudge, defeating him in a sadistic Shadow Game and inflicting a Penalty Game on the bully. From that day forward, Yugi and his new friends Joey and Tristan, alongside his childhood friend Tea Gardner, became an inseparable group. Whenever one of them would be in trouble, the spirit of the Nameless Pharaoh dubbed Yami Yugi would surface, ready to challenge the cruel and greedy with the Shadow Games.

One such man was their classmate Seto Kaiba, who saw the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon Duel Monsters card that Yugi’s grandfather owned. Determined to have the card, he attempted to steal it, but was foiled by Yami Yugi. He attempted to cheat their game of Duel Monsters, but the Nameless Pharaoh punished Kaiba for his arrogance, inflicting the Penalty Game “The Experience of Death.” This humiliation turned into an obsession for Kaiba, who was a world class master of all things games and CEO of Kaibacorp, the biggest entertainment and gaming company in the world. He kidnapped Yugi’s grandfather and won the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, ripping it up in front of him as he won the duel with the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons he had procured around the world through underhanded methods. Yugi and his friends were forced through “Death-T,” a sadistic theme park meant to kill Yugi for the humiliation he suffered. Despite the horrors they faced, Yami Yugi faced off against Kaiba in a game of Duel Monsters, assembling the five pieces of Exodia the Forbidden One. Once again he inflicted a Penalty Game, but this time he subjected Kaiba to a “Mind Crush,” destroying the evil in his heart and allowing him to rebuild and start over.

Yugi’s victory over Kaiba caught the ear of Maximillian Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters and owner of the Millennium Eye. He planned the Duelist Kingdom tournament to defeat Yugi and restore Kaibacorp’s reputation (as he was intent on taking it over, of course), and stole Solomon’s soul as incentive for Yugi to come to the tournament. Yugi rose through the ranks, battling skilled duelists before facing off against the creator in the finals. Despite the Millennium Eye’s ability to read minds, Yugi’s bond with his other self let him push through and claim victory, saving his grandfather’s soul alongside the Kaiba brothers, with Seto Kaiba’s rebuilt heart and free of evil. The victories over Kaiba and Pegasus gave Yugi the title “King of Games.”

Despite saving his grandfather and becoming a famous duelist, Yami Yugi felt empty. He still had no knowledge of his past and wondered who he truly was. All he had to go on was that he was once a pharaoh, but a pharaoh without a name. Upon running into Ishizu Ishtar at a museum, he entered Kaiba’s Battle City Tournament, intent on learning more about his past and claiming the keys to it; the Egyptian God Cards. In the Battle City tournament, he faced off against Marik Ishtar’s Rare Hunters, the tomb keeper intent on gaining the pharaoh’s power for himself. Facing off against both Marik’s thugs and other worthy duelists, Yugi and Yami Yugi were an unbeatable team. First claiming Slifer the Sky Dragon from a Rare Hunter, defeating Kaiba again to claim Obelisk the Tormentor, before defeating Marik’s dark half Yami Marik and claiming The Winged Dragon of Ra.

With everything assembled, Yugi and his friends ventured to Egypt to find the pharaoh’s lost memories. Facing off against Yami Bakura as one of his final tasks, the Dark RPG revealed more about Yami Yugi’s past as a pharaoh. His most prominent foe slowly made it clear that he was no ordinary spirit, being the present reincarnation of Zorc Necrophades, the ultimate entity of evil that sought out the annihilation of all life. Despite the tragedies he was forced to relive and the overwhelming darkness he was against, the help of Yugi and the bonds of their friends brought his spirit together as he remembered his true name; Atem. With his memories restored, Atem combined the Egyptian Gods into Holactie the Creator of Light, permanently ending Zorc Necrophades and freeing Ryo Bakura from his influence.

Now possessing his memories again and having defeated the ultimate evil, Yugi and Atem had one last task. Did Atem learn from his time in the present day, and would he be able to move onto the spirit world? Or would he stay for another 3,000 years? This question would be answered, as Yugi and Atem prepared for one final duel; against each other. Though Atem had the power of Dark Magician and the Egyptian Gods on his side, Yugi was able to win, proving that not only was he worthy of the title King of Games, but that Atem was ready to move onto the afterlife. With a tearful goodbye and a thumbs-up, Atem passed through the gate to join his friends from Ancient Egypt.

Yet this wasn’t the end of Yugi’s story. A young man named Aigami would seek vengeance on Bakura for killing his master Shadi, unaware that the spirit of the Millenium Ring was the true killer. Yugi would duel against Aigami to save Bakura’s spirit, before facing off against Kaiba again. Kaiba refused to accept the pharaoh’s passing and sought to duel him. Though Yugi beat Kaiba, Aigami, corrupted by the Millennium Ring, faced off against them both. In spite of their valiant efforts, Kaiba was defeated, and Yugi would nearly die to the darkness, if not for Atem’s timely arrival. With a single draw, Atem summoned his loyal friend Mahad to destroy the Millennium Ring, purging the darkness from Aigami. Reunited again, Yugi and Atem wordlessly smiled at one another, before the latter returned to the afterlife. While Yugi would go on to graduate and pursue a career as a game creator, Kaiba travelled to the afterlife to face Atem one last time.

These are only a few of the exploits of Yugi Muto and Atem. Among the many fearsome foes they faced include ancient spirits, virtual ghosts, an alien power of Atlantis and even a threat from the future where they joined forces with Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo. Yet through all these challenges, few things remain above all; the bravery that Atem gave Yugi, the kindness Yugi gave Atem, and their shared love of games. No matter the time and place, Yugi and Atem will give it their all, their irreplaceable bond transcending between worlds.

Experience & Skill

Ash Ketchum

By the end of the series, it should come as no surprise that Ash is an extensively decorated Pokémon Trainer. 48 Gym Badges across six regions, a complete Alola Island Challenge, and reaching the top 8 of the global World Coronation Series. He was considered a successful trainer even during Kanto by someone as powerful as Mewtwo of all people, and has defeated hundreds of different trainers across his career. In all the Pokémon League tournaments he’s entered, he reached the last 16 of Kanto, Quarter finals of Johto, Hoenn, and Unova, the Semi Finals of Sinnoh, the Finals of Kalos, and outright won Alola’s first ever Pokémon League tournament. He would carry the success of this forward, going on to win the Masters 8 Tournament and receive the honor of being considered the strongest trainer in the world outright. Safe to say, Ash has an extremely filled up trophy cabinet. Oh and he won the Orange Islands tournament but no one cares about that one for some reason.

When you look at Ash’s direct battle performance, it makes all those big accolades make more sense as well. He’s weirdly a quick learner himself outside of Pokémon battles of course, quickly catching up and learning the tactics of Passimian football, or going through an obstacle course straight out of Ninja Warrior. He’s also quite observational, being able to spot his real Pikachu among a horde of fakes. But as for actual battles, Ash typically has a very offensive style. Trainer databases classify him as “the type to apply power and put emphasis on attacks”,  and he’s also been described as “battling on energy alone”. He does know when to change things up though of course, being able to note his Pokémons’ exhaustion and switch them out if needed. He’s good at observing the battle state in general, like when he was taught by Sinnoh Elite 4 member Bertha on the importance of extensive observation. Understanding his Pokémon and his opponent. How much damage his Pokémon has taken, if it can still fight, what move would work on the opponent, etc. 

This understanding applies well in battles, with Ash being a good quick thinker that’s great at making quick decisions. Simpler things like using Pikachu’s Quick Attack speed for evasive means mid air to land Iron Tail, using water to hide Buizel temporarily so Buizel could land a point blank Water Pulse, or recognizing his stationary position and Rhyperior’s need for a small breather to heal Grottle with Synthesis stick out as simpler but effective maneuvers. He’s good at more unrelated things like quickly learning the Z-Move Inferno Overdrive even though it’s his first time using it, or using Chimchar’s Dig to avoid Hunter J’s Flamethrower and move through the burning forest. Ash is also good at analyzing enemy tactics, having Bayleef focus to spot the real Scizor among Double Team fakes, or predicting Buizel’s dodge to set up an in advance Iron Tail. Ash’s Pokémon are also good at combining moves with each other, such as when Pikachu battled alongside Aipom when it was still on Ash’s team. Ash was able to coordinate an Aipom Swift with Pikachu’s Quick Attack, having Pikachu move through the Swift and guide the stars. In that same battle, by having Aipom charge up its Focus Punch while Pikachu set up defensive debris with Thunderbolt, the punch got to charge more to deal devastating damage.

But where Ash Ketchum truly excels is his analysis and adaptation. He is fantastic when it comes to thinking about what he says from day to day and formulating new gameplans from the process. For one example, remembering previous Contest Battles, Ash and Pikachu were able to mimic previous moves to cut an incoming big water attack with Iron Tail. Most notably, Ash once devised a strategy to use offensive moves defensively, making them into big barrier defenses like with Pikachu making a Thunderbolt cage or Buizel using Aqua Jet as a getaway shield. Making an entirely new multi-purpose technique and repurposing seemingly basic moves for a punishing defensive attack. While this Counter Shield technique was only ever learned by three of Ash’s Pokémon, it stands to reason anyone with a bendable ranged attack can pull it off. There are simpler cases of this as well, like a spinning dodge technique Ash taught his Pokémon that can counter opposing attack speed to enhance his Pokémon’s own velocity that he learned from watching Dawn.

But if you think that his outside of battle development is strong, then his in-battle development is frankly absurd. On the note of that spinning dodge technique, when it got countered by the opposing attack being too big and fast, Ash had it adapted into a new rolling jump move instead. And when this move got countered by Rampardos’ using its tail to keep attacking, Ash then had Turtwig use this as an opportunity to land a big attack by biting said tail. He’s exceptional when it comes to turning his supposed weaknesses into strengths, or vice versa for his opponent. In the same battle as before, Turtwig’s Razor Leaf was too weak from a distance to his Rampardos. So Ash then turned this to his advantage by having the move be spammed to create a camouflage for a fake out attack set up. Enemy’s charge too fast to stop? Have Pikachu Thunderbolt the terrain to set up debris for a punishing stage hazard for that speed to run right into. 

Likewise, Ash is good at taking relied on strengths and turning them into weaknesses. One time Ash countered an opposing Cherub’s reliance on the sun by angling Staravia to block out the sun, making it blind Cherubi instead. In that same battle, Ash countered a Turtwig’s better speed by making it dodge into a corner, making it especially vulnerable. Even when speed is reversed to the point of dealing with a blitzing Dusknoir, Ash countered Dusknoir’s absurd Trick Room speed by catching its Shadow Punch with Gible’s bite since it was too strong and got stuck, locking it down and leaving it vulnerable to Draco Meteor. What about a supposed ground immunity seemingly making Infernape’s Dig VS Ninjask seem pointless? Simple, just turn that into an opportunity to nuke the field from underground and remove the current negative stage hazard. To summarize, if you think your move is too good to beat, or that Ash’s is too weak to hurt you? Get ready to get surprised, because this champion is more than ready to give you the weirdest alteration to your own medicine you could ever imagine.

Yugi Muto

Yugi is known to have exceptional skills in gaming whether it’s old or new, he’s quick to learn how the game works and soon finds himself on even footing with his opponents. The same is true for his dark alter ego, who also knows a few underhanded tactics to employ if he ever catches anyone trying to give themselves an upper hand like with Bakura using his own underhanded tactics. His own three rules of gaming are to always act like you have the upper hand, stay cool and keep your trump card until the end. Even creators of their own game aren’t exempt from this, as Yugi beat Maximillian Pegasus in Duel Monsters (and he was using overpowered cards that weren’t released to the public), and Duke Devlin in Dungeon Dice Monsters (this one is even more notable because it was Yugi’s first time playing the game). Yugi also has a pretty keen eye for noticing the smaller details such as when Kaiba tried to swap his Blue-Eyes White Dragon card with a copy or when he had a hunch about Mokuba rigging the roulette wheel and so he tied his Millennium Puzzle to the wheel in order to smash apart the syrup bottle that was actually how Mokuba was rigging the wheel spins. 

He even defeated a Rare Hunter who was using a deck based around stalling to draw Exodia, figuring out the strategy and defeating him with ease. Yugi also managed to beat someone who was running a deck specifically made to target and counter Yugi’s entire deck. Yugi has also fought an AI trained off the data of all the best duelists in the world – including himself, Joey, and Kaiba – on its maximum difficulty when he only had seen it on a lower difficulty setting with a kid’s deck that was noted even in universe as being a terrible deck. In the Dark Side of Dimensions, Yugi was capable of playing Dimension Dueling despite it being a completely new introduction to him, beating Aigami in said duel.

Since Atem is an ancient pharaoh from 3000 years ago, he too has had his fair share of battles. He battled against Thief King Bakura and the likes of Diabound and Zorc Necrophades. He was also quick to adjust to the modern world after having lost his memories and is typically the one in charge of doing battle against all adversaries such as Pegasus, Marik, Bakura and Kaiba. His eternal rival, Kaiba, acknowledges him as a worthy opponent and during the finals of Battle City, he even gave Yugi a card that would help against Marik but even with this new card, Kaiba predicted that Yugi only had a 20% chance of actually defeating Marik and yet he prevailed. Pegasus titled Yugi & Atem as number one among his top five duelists. 

The legacy of Yugi extends into the future with series like GX treating Yugi as the greatest duelist who ever lived and just the mere opportunity to duel with him is treated as a big deal. Even in 5D’s, top duelists like Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas both mention Yugi as being the best of the best, even with how far the game has come. Yugi even got to team up with Jaden and Yusei in the Bonds Beyond Time movie, and he’s still able to keep up with the both of them despite his own deck being mechanically older than the other two, and he’s even able to pick up on how Synchro Summons work. If we take Duel Links into account, then he can also utilize Xyz, Pendulum, and Link summoning all the same.

Speaking of Jaden, even he has called Yugi his most difficult opponent and Yugi complimented Jaden’s own skills, the two should be comparable in raw dueling skill. Why does this matter? Well, in the last duel Jaden did before he fought Yugi himself, he fought Darkness, who had absorbed the knowledge of every single duelist on earth besides Jaden himself. And Jaden still won, despite the fact Darkness had complete knowledge of his deck from past experience with one of its proxies and was blatantly using unfair cards against him. 

Equipment

Ash Ketchum

Pokeballs

The series’ signature capture device, and one of its only things that can compete with Pikachu in terms of popularity: the Pokeball! Ash carries several of these at all times, in case any new monsters catch his eye for a catch. His Pokémon are additionally stored in these (minus Pikachu who dislikes being inside the machine), making them easy to take around. They have good tactical usage as well though apart from just pocket monster transportation. Ash can have his Pokémon be absorbed back into their Pokeballs to get out of sticky situations, and even recall them back just in time to avoid attacks. Returning a Pokémon to a Pokeball will also undo status effects like Confusion, though not more potent ones like Sleep. Additionally, Pokeball return can be blocked off by trapping moves like Mean Look.

Pikachu’s Ice Pick
& Hammer

(Guys look it’s TCNick3)

For whenever an unsuspecting Piplup is part of a gag.

Underwater Breathing Device

A standard device allowing Ash to breathe when swimming underwater.

Rotom Phone

It took about 22 years (less than 1 in Ketchum years), but Ash finally got his very own smartphone. This one is housed by the Pokémon Rotom. It’s handy for communications and even comes equipped with the Pokédex, the encyclopedia for all things Pokémon. 

Z-Ring

Gifted by Alola Guardian Tapu Koko, the Z-Ring allows Ash to use powerful Z-Moves for an overwhelming attack. It should be noted though that Ash typically can only use a Z-Move once per battle, and the Z-Ring will need time to recharge unless amplified by an outside source. Z-Moves are dependent on specific Z-Crystals, and Ash has formed quite a collection of them during his island vacation:

• Normalium Z: Turns Normal type moves into Breakneck Blitz
• Grassium Z: Turns Grass type moves into Bloom Doom
• Rockium Z: Turns Rock type moves into Continental Crush
• Steelium Z: Turns Steel type moves into Corkscrew Crash
• Firium Z: Turns Fire type moves into Inferno Overdrive
• Solgalium Z: A Z-Crystal exclusive to Solgaleo, it upgrades its signature move Sunsteel Strike into Searing Sunraze Smash. 
• Lycanium Z: A Z-Crystal exclusive to Lycanroc, it turns the move Stone Edge into Splintered Stormshards
• Pikashuium Z: Originally an Electrium Z, it evolved into a Pikachu exclusive crystal, upgrading a regular Thunderbolt into the electrifying 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt 

Dynamax Band

Given to him by Galar Champion Leon, the Dynamax Band makes use of the Galar Region’s “Galar Particles” to Dynamax a Pokémon, causing it to grow in size and upgrade its normal moves into powerful Max Moves. This phenomenon is notably region locked to Galar though, and a Dynamax transformation will usually only last a few turns.

Mega Glove

After some training under Gurkinn to receive Lucarionite, Ash received a Mega Glove and complementary Key Stone. This allows Ash to access Mega Evolution with his Lucario, which will be discussed more later.

Pokémon Masters Items

By being in Pokémon Masters, Ash is able to utilize a variety of items. Given the awkward canonicity of Masters in relation to Ash’s own adventures, they will not be heavily factored into the Verdict. But these items will still be kept in mind, as they provide Ash with a lot of useful bonuses. 

• Hearty Stew: Restores 40% of an allied sync pair’s HP.
• Replenishing Patty: Recovers all MP of all allied sync pairs.
• Almighty Apple Pie: At the start of battle, raises the Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, and Speed of all allied sync pairs.
• Critical Herb Tea: At the start of battle, makes all allied sync pairs’ next attacks a critical hit.
• Preventative Pea Soup: At the start of battle, makes all allied sync pairs nullify status conditions inflicted upon them. 
• Hard-Shell Taco: At the start of battle, reduces physical damage done to the allied field of play. 
• Ziti Special: At the start of battle, reduces special damage done to the allied field of play.
• Hearty Stew: Fully restores the HP of all allied sync pairs.
• Replenishing Patty: Recovers all MP of all allied sync pairs.
• Apple Cup (AKA Ashuto’s favorite): An especially versatile item, it can have a large variety of effects. So many so that it has its own special list:
  • Raises Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, and Sp. Def by 500%. 
  • The first time the user enters each battle, reduces the user’s sync move countdown by three. 
  • Lowers the total number of moves the user needs to use before they can unleash a sync move by the number of allied sync pairs participating in battle. 
  • Restore one MP for all the moves of sync pairs that use a move successfully. 
  • Reduces all damage by 50% when the user is hit by an attack. 
  • The move gauge charges very quickly. 
  • Lowers the Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, Speed, accuracy, and evasiveness of all opposing sync pairs by six stat ranks. (Meaning Ash gets a 4x stat amp and can evade damage a third of the time)
  • Raises the Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, Speed, accuracy, and evasiveness by six stat ranks the first time the user enters each battle. 
  • When an allied sync pair uses a move successfully, reduces the sync move countdown by one. 
  • If a move is successfully used, super effective moves now deal 40% more damage. 
  • Once Ash enters battle the Enduring effect is applied to him and his Pokémon, which means the first time he’s taken out of commission, he’ll instead be left with 1HP
• MPizza: Restore one MP for all the moves of sync pairs that use a move successfully. 
• Half Cake: Reduces damage by 50% when the user is hit by an attack.
• Guard Chocolate: Applies the Damage Guard Next effect to sync pairs that use a move successfully, shielding him from the next attack for every move.
• Free Lollipop: Applies the Free Move Next effect to sync pairs that use a move successfully. 
• Quick Cookies: The move gauge charges very quickly.
• Attack Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 200%. • Attack 
• Defense Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 200%. • Defense 
• Sp. Atk Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 200%. • Sp. Atk 
• Sp. Def Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 200%. • Sp. Def 
• Speed Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 200%. • Speed
• Ultra Jelly: Raises the following stats of all allied sync pairs by 300%. • Attack • Defense • Sp. Atk • Sp. Def
• Crit Immunity: Protects the user against critical hits.
• Gradual Healing: Ash passively heals 6% HP as the battle progresses.
• Move: HP Recovery: Sync pairs that use a move successfully recover about 6% of their total HP.
• Physical Damage Reduction: Reduces damage taken from physical attacks by 50%. 
• Special Damage Reduction: Reduces damage taken from special attacks by 50%. 
• Endure: Once Ash enters battle the Enduring effect is applied to him and his Pokémon, which means the first time he’s taken out of commission, he’ll instead be left with 1HP.
• Permanent Zones: There is one for each type, they create a field effect that can’t be overridden by other abilities and boost their respective type’s moves by 50%

Yugi Muto

Millennium Puzzle

One of the 7 Millennium Items created in Ancient Egypt as the result of shadow alchemy that required the sacrifice of many people, this golden trinket is important to both Yugi and Atem. In the past, Atem used this to seal himself along with Zorc Necrophades, at the cost of his memories. In the present, it may seem like an accessory but it houses the soul of Yami Yugi, who typically takes over when it’s time to enact judgment or play a card game. 

As long as it’s near him and he can make contact with it, Yugi can swap between himself and Atem. Atem can even temporarily leave the puzzle as a Spirit if need be. It also provides a certain level of protection against outside foes, such as when it was able to form a barrier from PaniK’s flames in Duelist Kingdom, and repel the Seal of Orichalcos late in Season 4. It’s also been able to locate the locations of people he holds a special connection to like Joey, and even summon monsters like Slifer.

While Yugi does also have access to the other Millenium Items, his actual usage of them is scarce.

Duel Disk

The Duel Disk is one of the most recognizable pieces of equipment for any duelist. Created by Seto Kaiba, the Duel Disk can project holograms of the monsters and spells placed on the spaces or inserted into the slots. These holograms use “Solid Vision”, which tend to have minor physical abilities, but can be enhanced with magic to become completely real.

Sword of Divinity

The Sword of Divinity was used by Yugi during his stay in the Capsule Monsters world. The sword was capable of absorbing the powers of 5 dragons and was used to help defeat them.

Abilities

Ash Ketchum

Pokémon Universe
Human Physiology

Oak gets blasted by Pokémon. A lot.

In the Pokémon world, humans are surprisingly durable and strong. In many cases, trainers routinely survive attacks from wild or trained Pokémon, and Ash himself even trains with his Pokémon, like taking Rockruff’s Rock Throw attack directly when trying to get him to master the move. There are several other examples like this, such as Ash surviving getting hit by Charmeleon’s Flamethrower, and of course Ash surviving the many Thunderbolts Pikachu does.

It’s not just Ash, either. For example, James of Team Rocket has shown instances of actually fighting off wild Pokémon, such as when James reacts to Tentacruel and catches its tentacles, then tosses it away so far its sent Blasting Off. Professor Oak is also still alive even though he gets repeatedly attacked by Pokémon moves, and it’s even common for Pokémon and Human sports to be mixed, meaning that humans can keep up with Pokémon enough to play sports with them. One example of this is when Kiawe is strong enough to hurl a baseball with enough force to hurt Popplio. Another one for survivability is that humans in the Pokémon world also seem to be very much resistant to the elements. Ash himself has survived both ice and fire attacks from various Pokémon, and he’s also fine standing close to an active volcano. Flannery in the Pokémon anime also can lovingly hug her Slugma, who’s literally a magma slug.

Humans in the Pokémon world also have like, light Toon Force in a way. Ash for example has shown some Hammerspace-like abilities in the original series, where he randomly gets a megaphone out of nowhere.

Aura

Also called ‘guiding pulse’ in the sub, Ash has an inner energy called ‘Aura’ which is a form of spiritual energy (sorta like Ki in Dragon Ball). This is prominent especially in the Lucario and the Mystery of Mew film where Lucario directly compares Ash’s aura to Sir Aaron and even mistakes them one time. This is impressive considering Sir Aaron has dodged logs while blindfolded with his aura. Lucario himself can sense and dodge attacks too even while blinded, and is able to sense Sir Aaron from a far away distance. Ash himself has used his aura to sense Riolu’s memories from his former owner and telepathically communicate and locate said Riolu. He’s even able to sense a nearby Lucario’s aura and release said aura during battle. He even one time healed Mew with his aura, though overexposure could be fatal given that Lucario had to push Ash away to prevent it.

Bond Phenomenon

(Complete with a theme song so cool that this was the only version we could find on YouTube)

A unique and powerful form of transformation, the Bond Phenomenon allows Ash to essentially link himself with his Greninja to increase their power through the bond between trainer and Pokémon. Through this power, Greninja can transform into the powerful Ash-Greninja, a form similar to Mega Evolution but without the need of a Mega Stone. This does come with a very specific downside, if Greninja were to get hurt while transformed, Ash will also feel the pain being inflicted. In order for this transformation to be used to its full extent, Ash and Greninja need to be on similar wave lengths and have their feelings match, an incomplete overlap of their pulses can cause the transformation to falter or drain much faster. Too much strain or damage can also render Ash unconscious while in this form, so it is best used cautiously. 

Friendship Revival

In the I Choose You movie, Ash was actually killed after being struck by several Pokémon blasts. Like actually, his body disappeared entirely, only leaving his Pikachu behind to grieve for him. Pikachu’s sadness would be key though as Ash sensed him after passing away and ran towards him. Pikachu sensed Ash too and this brought Ash back to life. To be clear, there’s no sign of the Rainbow Feather or anything else that was responsible for Ash coming back to life. He literally just came back with the power of his bond with Pikachu. Sounds crazy, but in the world of Pokémon, miracles like this can happen, we suppose.

Pokémon Masters Abilities

Similar to equipment, Pokémon Masters adds several RPG-like options to Ash’s capabilities. Similarly to equipment, there will not be heavy acknowledgement of these powers in the Verdict. However they will still be acknowledged, just as Equipment. 

Moves

• Thunder: Pikachu sends a jolt of electricity that hits a single target 70% (at base, will be elaborated on later) of the time. Also has a 30% chance of leaving the target paralyzed, which cuts their speed in half and makes it so every action they take has a chance of making them unable to move temporarily instead.
• Not Gonna Lose!: Heals Ash’s HP by 20%, maximizes his gauge charge, gives him gradual regeneration for the rest of the fight, increases the effect of super effective moves by 50% and shields Ash from the next instance of damage.
• Best Buddies Thunderbolt: Pikachu sends a powerful jolt of electricity that ignores the accuracy/evasion stat, the more slots of the move gauge are used, the stronger it becomes (up to 6).
• Going All Out!: Raises Ash’s special attack by four ranks (3x) and critical rate by three ranks (33.2% chance of crit, which multiplies damage by 1.5).
• It will additionally increase special attack and speed by a further 2 ranks (2x) when Ash is at less than half health.
• Best Buds 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt: Ash’s signature Sync Move, aside from being a mouthful, it is extremely powerful and further aided by its guaranteed critical chance. (It would theoretically upscale the base Z-Move as well since it’s also powered by Sync Energy)

Skills

• Kanto Spirit: For every allied Kanto Pokémon Ash has, his special attack and damage reduction are increased, up to a maximum of 50% and 31% respectively.
• Ash’s Passion: Makes Thunder more powerful and costs less energy, it now also bypasses accuracy checks like his other moves.
• Initial Pinch Special Boost 2: The first time Ash is at 25% HP or less in a battle
• Ash’s Tenacity: Likely his most useful ability from the game in a VS context, once Ash enters battle the Enduring effect is applied to him and his Pokémon, which means the first time he’s taken out of commission, he’ll instead be left with 1HP and the effect will be reapplied once more. This effectively means that Ash and his team can survive at least two hits before going down, which also applies to abilities/haxes. (Suddenly all the BS he has survived makes a little more sense /j)

Sync Grid

• Move Gauge Refresh 3: 40% of refreshing move gauge when using attacks. 
• Hostile Environment 1: Increases chances of inflicting status with moves (about 60% for Thunder).
• Power Reserves 5: Increases Ash’s damage by 50% when below 25% health.
• Shake Off 9: Removes all status conditions when a move is successful.
• Master Healer 1: Increased the efficacy of healing moves by 10%, he has two of these so somewhere around 20% in total.
• Propulsion 9: Guaranteed to reduce Sync Move countdown by one once a move is successful.
• Dauntless/Haste: Sp. Atk and Speed cannot be lowered by abilities.
• Lithe: Makes Ash immune to paralysis.
• Quick Cure: Passively prevents confusion, flinches and trap abilities the first time they’re used against Ash in battle.
• On the Run 3: For the first time Ash is below 25% HP, his evasion is increased by three ranks, which means he has a 50% chance of avoiding attacks and abilities (including AoE).
• Shock Recovery 1: Heals Ash’s HP by 6% every time his team makes a move in Electric Terrain.
• Turbo Charge 2: Move Gauge fills much faster inside Electric Terrain.
• Trainer Sync Redemption: Restores 1 MP the first time Ash uses a Sync Move.
• Rejuvenate 6: HOLY MOLY Pokémon REJUVENATION REFERENCE??  Anyway this fully recharges Ash move gauge upon using his first Sync Move.
• Pinch Push 3: Reduces the countdown for a Sync Move by 3 the first time Ash falls below 25% HP.
• Brain Sync 8: Makes Ash’s Sync Move 80% more powerful if his Sp. Atk is raised.
• Static Shock 8: Makes Ash’s Sync Move 80% more powerful if the foe is paralyzed.

Lucky Skills

For the sake of brevity, we’ll only list the skills that do something other skills don’t, since there is some redundancy. If a skill is mentioned more than once, it stacks.

The “/” indicates there’s two separate levels of the skill, which can work together.

• Critical Strike 1 / 2: Powers up critical hits by 10% and 20% respectively.
• Defense Crush 1 / 2: Has a 20% and 30% chance of lowering defense by one rank with each attack.
• Fast Track 1 / 2: Has a 20% and 30% chance of raising speed by one rank with each attack.
• Mad Strength 1 / 2: Has a 20% and 30% chance of raising attack by one rank with each attack.
• Power Chain 1 / 2: Powers moves by 10% and 20% when an Unity Bonus is in effect (But these only happen if there’s more than one trainer so lol).
• Power Flux 1 / 2 / 3: Powers up moves the more the move gauge is filled, giving at max 6% 12% and 18% increase respectively.
• Power Reserves: When falls below 25% HP, power increases by 10% and 20%.
• Stoic 1 / 2: Has a 20% and 30% chance of raising speed by one rank with each move.
• Superduper Effective 1: Powers up super effective moves by 10%.
• Surging Sand 1 / 2 / 3: Powers up moves during a sandstorm by 10% 20% and 30% respectively. 
• Troublemaker: Doubles the accuracy of status moves.
• Vigilance: Ash cannot receive critical hits.
• Enlightenment: None of Ash’s stats cannot be lowered by any means.
• Antifreeze: Prevents Ash from being frozen.
• Antitoxin: Prevents Ash from being poisoned.
• Clearheaded: Prevents Ash from being afflicted by mental conditions.
• Escape Artist: Prevents Ash from being trapped in battle
• Flameproof: Prevents Ash from being Burned.
• Sand/Snow Shelter: Prevents damage from sand and hail.
• Unflappable: Prevents Ash from being flinched.
• Wide Awake: Prevents Ash from falling asleep.
• (Type) Guard: These skills combined make Ash take 30% less damage from all types of damage.
• Move Gauge Refresh 2: 30% of refreshing move gauge when using attacks. 
• Revenge Boost 4: Ash has a 60% chance of charging his move gauge by one if hit.
• Power Reserves 2: Increases Ash’s damage by 20% when below 25% health.
• Superduper Effective 1: Powers up super effective moves by 10%.
• Power Flux 3: Powers up moves the more the move gauge is filled, giving at max an 18% increase.
• Critical Strike 2: Powers up critical hits by 20%.
• Weathered Warrior 3: Powers up attacks during weather by 30%.
• Super Powered: Powers up super effective moves by 30%.
• Headstart 1: Reduces the Sync Move countdown by 1 when entering battle.
• Adrenaline 1: Reduces the Sync Move countdown by 1 when using its first Sync Move.
• Healthy Healing: Heals Ash by 6% with every move.
• Supreme Entry: Powers up super effective moves by 40%
• Fast Track 2: Has a 30% chance of raising speed by one rank with each attack.
• Defense Crush 2: Has a 30% chance of lowering defense by one rank with each attack.
• Mad Strength 2: Has a 30% chance of raising attack by one rank with each attack.
• Mind Games 2: Has a 30% chance of lowering special defense by one rank with each attack.
• Witty Hit 2: Has a 30% chance of raising special attack by one rank with each attack.
• Sharp Entry 1: Raises critical hit chance by 1 rank when Ash enters battle.
• Speedy Entry 1 / 2: Raises speed by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Grand Entry: Raises special attack by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Sentry Entry: Raises defense by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Fierce Entry: Raises attack by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Wise Entry: Raises special attack by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Pinpoint Entry: Raises accuracy by 1 and 2 ranks when Ash enters battle.
• Troublemaker 1: Doubles the accuracy of status moves.
• Headstart 1: Reduces the Sync Move countdown by 1 when entering battle.
• Super Powered: Powers up super effective moves by 30%.
• Healthy Healing: Heals Ash by 6% with every move
• Supreme Entry: Powers up super effective moves by 40% when Ash enters battle.
• Weathered Warrior 3: Powers up attacks during weather by 30%.
• Critical Strike 2: Powers up critical hits by 20%.

Resistances

• Electricity: Ash’s most blatant resistance, the young trainer has openly admitted to having built up a tolerance for intense electrocution. While this is most blatant with his own Pikachu, it’s important to note that Ash has resisted electrical attacks from up to 4 Pokémon at once without any kind of major damage or paralysis.
• Extreme Cold: Ash tanked prolonged fire from a cryokinetic weapon powered by the Vanillite line. He also survived being entirely frozen solid by a Snover, even if it still incapped him.
• Extreme Heat: A recurring gag in the series, Ash frequently survives blasts of fire from his own Charizard. For reference, even as just a Charmander, said flames were effortlessly melting through steel. Yet the worst Ash has ever experienced from these fiery retorts is some surface charring.
• Extreme Sound: Ash and friends have frequently endured Supersonic.
• Mind Manipulation: When Lysandre trapped Ash and Greninja and attempted to use their mind controlling drones on him, the dynamic duo negated it. Also the well known, Ash being unable to get mind controlled due not being so smart.
• Noxious Fumes: Ash was able to remain conscious in the presence of both Muk and Gloom, both Pokémon with noxious odors enough to cause regular Pokémon to faint on the spot. Ash has both taken the stench of the Pokémon themselves, as well as concentrated dosages of the substance, further reinforcing this resistance.
• Telekinesis (Limited): While being pushed around like a ragdoll by Sabrina’s father, Ash was able to muster up enough willpower to overpower the tremendous force…barely. For a couple of seconds. On his knees.

Yugi Muto

Ba & Ka

The way Atem would summon his monsters in the days of ancient Egypt. Ba is the life energy of a person, which also fuels the Ka of a person. Ka is the spirit that is summoned, which also reflects the person. When Ka is damaged, the user’s Ba goes down and when that runs out, the user’s physical body dies out as well. In a more modern sense, Ba is Life Points and Ka is the monsters summoned. The stronger the Ka, the more Ba is required to summon it. Ba has also been directly compared to Life Points as well. Notable monsters he has summoned this way are the Egyptian Gods and Dark Magician. This spiritual ability allows Yugi to see Duel Spirits in the modern day, and he’s able to sense more unique spiritual abilities such as Yubel within Jaden.

Shadow Games

Shadow Games are a form of sorcery used by Yugi and duelists across the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, serving as mystical games that are activated through magic and date all the way back to ancient Egypt. These games can come in many different variations, traditionally being a subverted twist of an already existing game.

• Money and Knife: Players take turn stabbing stacks of dollar bills from their hand using a knife
• Dice Game: Players roll a 6-sided die. Lowest roll wins.
• Silence Game: A toy that reacts to the slightest bit of sound is placed next to both players as they try to remain as silent as possible. 
• One Finger Battle: Both players are only allowed the usage of 1 finger of their choice
• Paper Crash!: A game in which players pull pieces of paper from underneath a bottle of chloroform without letting it fall over
• Griddle Ice Hockey: A puck made of ice with a chemical explosive in the middle is placed on a piping hot griddle and both players play a game of air hockey
• Dark Puzzle: It’s a jigsaw puzzle that contains a written message
• Coin in Sneaker: Several coins and a scorpion are placed into a shoe. Players stick their hand in the shoe and grab as many coins as possible without getting stung
• Duel Monsters: You know this one.
• Landmine Search Network: People must search for the “time bomb” that is hidden
• Labyrinth Treasure Hunt: Used against Shadi Shin, within Yugi & Atem’s shared soul room are a maze of stairs and traps. 
• Maze of Fire: Atem creates a maze of fire with a cigarette butt and paint
• Capsule Monster Chess: Players are given 5 monsters of varying levels and move them across the board and use their abilities to defeat the opponent’s monsters
• Red Paint Lottery: Red paint is spilled onto a bunch of buttons and they must try to press the right one
• Monster Fighter: Players use toy monsters and try to defeat the other player in a fight, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots style
• Dragon Cards: An ancient Chinese card game in which players collect suits of cards to summon out dragons to fight
• Monster World: A tabletop RPG in which the party must defeat the evil Zorc
• Rope and Cards (no official name): Both players hang at opposite ends of a rope strung around a pole at the top of a dome. A deck of standard playing cards is spread in a straight line between them. Players take turns, turning over cards and climbing up a number of steps matching the number of the card they turned over, while their opponent climbed down the same number of steps.
• Mirror Jigsaw (no official name): Both Players take two broken mirrors and race to complete broken mirrors like jigsaws, while blindfolded.
• 10-Seconds (no official name): Each player takes turns pressing the button on a watch to stop a stop watch counting to 10, to get as close to 10 seconds, while avoiding getting hit by a giant pendulum. 
• Hospital Golf (no official name): Players can pick one item to use to hit a golf ball. Choosing the goal, they take turns hitting a golf ball through a hospital to the goal.
• Raijinhai: A game originated in India. It is a guessing based game where two players use their pieces to eliminate the others. Pieces are chosen behind a screen and so the game is based on the player’s knowledge of statistics as well as their application of psychology.
• Shadow RPG: Used by Yami Bakura, the two players control recreations of themselves in a recreation of ancient Egypt from Atem’s memory. From there, it’s the ultimate tabletop RPG duel with Atem being able to summon his monsters through his life force known as Ba.

Penalty Game

Penalty Games are punishments enacted upon individuals who cheat in and/or lose a Shadow Game. Being a Millennium Item holder, The Pharaoh can enact his own penalties upon individuals who lose to him.

• Illusion of Avarice: The recipient of this penalty begins to believe leaves are money, greed metaphorically consuming them.
• Mosaic Illusion: The recipient of this penalty has their vision turned into that of a pixelated TV censor
• Beat Festival: The recipient begins to hear their heartbeat get increasingly louder
• Fire: The recipient is set on fire, enough said. In the anime, this was changed to be an illusion of being set on fire.
• Peaceful Rest of the Timid: Recipient is rendered unconscious by chloroform (used after the “Paper Crash!” game.)
• Exploding Death by Ice: The chemical explosive is released from the ice and the griddle’s heat ignites it, blowing up in the person’s face
• Face Puzzle: Recipient has their face peel away, revealing their true “ugly” face.
• Poison Revolt: A scorpion poisons the recipient (used during Yugi’s Coin in Sneaker game)
• Experience of Death: The recipient of this penalty begins to believe through illusions that monsters are killing them.
• Landmine Prey: In a Final Destination-esque sequence, the recipients of this penalty have their environment backfire upon them in some misfortunate way if they cannot find the “switch” in time.
• Maze of Flames: Victims are trapped in a maze of fire
• Capsule Hell: The loser is put into an illusion of being trapped into a game capsule
• Poisonous Meal: The loser is forced to eat a poisoned meal 
• Mind Crush: Yugi’s most iconic penalty, the recipient of this penalty has the evil in their heart destroyed. Causing them to enter a coma for a prolonged period of time.
• Mind on Air: The victim will act super greedy and beg for money on camera
• Face Collapse: The victim has their soul take the place of the toy monster and it gets destroyed by the opposing player’s monster
• Xing Zhen Xu: The loser has their soul trapped in the jar. Yami Yugi did not actually make this one
• Puppet Illusion: The victim believes they are being attacked by a puppet
• Darkness of Naraku: The victim believes they are being hung and then falling into a bottomless pit of darkness
• No official name: The victim of this punishment was made to believe he was being eaten by monsters.
• No official name: Looking into the open wound inflicted by the pendulum, the recipient is made to believe that clock parts are inside of his arm, and rolls down his sleeves to reveal that his body is fused with his beloved Swiss watches.
• No official name: the recipient of this punishment is made to think that a ticking time bomb had been placed inside the gondola they were hiding in, causing the recipient to panic and jump out of their hiding spot
• No official name: The recipient is bombarded by illusions of zombies, who were the patients who had died under the recipient’s care due to his negligence.

Probability Manipulation

Yugi is able to manipulate probability in his favor, even in instances of unbeatable odds. While he has used this ability in probability games involving dice, the most famous example is his application of the ability in Duel Monsters, famously known as the Destiny Draw. A skill in both Duel Links and Rush Duel, while also a special gameplay mechanic in the Tag Force games. Yugi can will the card he needs to the top of his deck, drawing the perfect card to make a comeback. According to Ishizu Ishtar, Atem literally bends fate to his will to allow him to choose the card he needs. It appears to be an instinctual ability, as Atem once used it after succumbing to rage, then proceeding to draw 8 monster cards in a row for Berserker Soul (DORO! MONSTA CARDO!).

Sword of the Heart

In Yu-Gi-Oh! R, the main antagonist Yako Tenma is attempting to resurrect the soul of Maximillion Pegasus through a new vessel. One of the requirements for the vessel is that they must not be a Duelist, because they possess the fighting instinct referred to as the Sword of the Heart, which makes their souls very difficult to detach.

Time Travel

In GX, Yugi is able to send Jaden back in time to duel his younger self by using Winged Kuriboh. After Jaden was sent back, time was frozen except for him and the younger Yugi so they could have their duel uninterrupted. It’s not explained how he was able to do this, as he no longer has Atem or the Millenium Puzzle.

Skills

Introduced in Duel Links before their proper implementation in the sixth mainline series VRAINS, Skills are special abilities that Yugi can use to turn the tide of battle, usually after a certain condition is met.

• A Card Entrusted: At the beginning of a duel, add 1 “Fiend’s Sanctuary” to the Deck
• Access Denied: Can be used from your 5th turn and onward, when you have 1000 or less Life Points. Until the end of your opponent’s next turn, neither player can Summon an Effect Monster nor activate the effects of their monsters. This Skill can only be used once per Duel. 
• Avaricious Spellcraft: During your main phase, shuffle 3 monsters, including a spellcaster, from your graveyard or banished cards to the deck, then draw 1 card
• Balance: Your starting hand will reflect the card balance of your Deck. This Skill will not activate unless you have at least 6 of each type of card in your Deck.
• Bane of Darkness: You can only use this Skill’s second and third effect once per Duel. 1: You can Normal Summon “Dark Magician” and “Buster Blader” without Tributing, but you cannot Special Summon Level 2 or higher monsters except for “Buster Blader” monsters and Level 6 or higher DARK Spellcaster monsters and Level 7 or higher DARK Dragon monsters with 2400 or less ATK. 2: Shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck, reveal 1 “Dark Magician” in your hand, and then play 1 “Buster Blader” from your hand or deck to your field in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.) 3: During a turn that you Normal Summoned “Dark Magician”, add 1 “Polymerization” and 1 “Diffusion Wave-Motion” from outside of your deck to your hand. 
• Battle Chronicle: During this Duel, you can Normal Summon/Set “Chronicle Magician” or a Normal Monster with 2500 ATK or DEF without Tributing, but you cannot Normal or Special Summon any Effect Monsters with Levels except for LIGHT or DARK Spellcaster Type monsters and LIGHT Dragon Type monsters. You can use the following effect once per turn on a turn where “Chronicle Sorceress” or a Level 7 or higher monster is Summoned or Fusion Summoned. Add 1 “Successor Soul” or Quick-Play Spell Card that mentions “Dark Magician” or “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” from your Deck to your hand, and send 1 non-Effect Monster with a different name than the monsters on your field and in your Graveyard from your Deck or Extra Deck to your Graveyard. 
• Born from the Earth: Can be used if you control a “Dark Magician” and your Life Points are at 2000 or below. Place 1 “Metamorphortress” face-down on your side of the field. If your opponent controls a Dragon-Type monster with 3000 ATK or more, you can use this Skill regardless of your Life Points. This Skill can only be used once per Duel. 
• Card of Sanctity: Can be used at the end of your turn, if you Normal Summoned “Slifer the Sky Dragon” that turn. Both players draw until they have 6 cards in their hands.
• Cards of the Swords of Protection: Can be used at the end of your turn, if you Normal Summoned “Slifer the Sky Dragon” that turn. Both players draw until they have 6 cards in their hands.
• Chimera Illusions: You can only use this Skill’s second and third effects once per Duel. 1: You cannot Normal or Special Summon (excluding Special Summons from the Extra Deck) any monsters, except Beast, Fiend, Illusion, and Spellcaster monsters. 2: Reveal 1 monster that mentions “Chimera Fusion” in your hand and shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck, then add 1 “Chimera Fusion” from your Deck to your hand. Then, you can send 1 Level 7 DARK Illusion or Spellcaster monster with 2500 ATK from your hand or Deck to the Graveyard. 3: If only your opponent controls a monster, play 1 “Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast” from outside of your Deck in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.) 
• Contract Door: Can be used if your Life Points are at 2000 or below. Add 1 “Magical Contract Door” to your hand from outside of your Deck. Then, add 1 “Monster Reborn” to your Opponent’s hand. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Dark Horizon: If you take a total of 2000 or more damage, you can use this Skill on your next turn. Play 1 ‘Dark Magician Girl’ from your Deck. If you took 2500 or more damage on your previous turn, you can play 1 ‘Dark Magician’ from your Deck instead. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Dark Order: “Book of Moon”: You can use this Skill’s first and second effects once per Duel (1 effect per turn) 1: Reveal 1 DARK monster in your hand, then shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck and add 1 “Book of Moon” from your Deck to your hand. 2: Reveal 1 “Book of Moon” from your hand on the bottom of the Deck, then draw 1 card.
• Deck Master: “Kuriboh”: You can only use this Skill’s first and second effects once per Duel. 1: At the beginning of the Duel, banish 1 “Kuriboh” from outside your Deck. 2: If the total ATK of all monsters your opponent controls is equal to or higher than your LP at the start of your opponent’s Battle Phase, play 1 of your banished “Kuriboh” monsters. Monsters played using this effect cannot be destroyed in battle during this turn (once per turn).
• Defense Charge: 1 face-up monster you control gain the current turn count x200 DEF until the end of the turn. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Destiny Draw: When your life points decrease by 2000, one of the cards from your normal draw will be a card of your choice.
• Destiny Draw Leading to Dragon Master Knight: You can only use this Skill’s first and second effects once per turn (1 effect per turn) and once each per Duel. 1: Can be used before your normal draw. Play 1 “Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon” from your Extra Deck in face-down Defense Position and send 1 “Black Luster Soldier” from your hand or Deck to the Graveyard. One of the cards from your normal draw this turn will be “Ultimate Fusion”. 2: Reveal 1 LIGHT, DARK, or EARTH monster, or 1 “Ultimate Fusion” from your hand, then either place that card on the bottom of your Deck or send it to the Graveyard. Then, draw 2 cards.
• Destiny Draw: Dark Magic: You can only use this Skill’s first and second effects once per turn (1 effect per turn) and once each per Duel. 1: Can be used before your normal draw. Set 1 “Dark Magic Attack” from outside your Deck. One of the cards from your normal draw this turn will be “Dark Magician”. You can Normal Summon 1 “Dark Magician” in addition to your Normal Summon/Set, and “Dark Magician” can be Normal Summoned/Set without Tributing. 2: Reveal 1 DARK monster from your hand, then either place that card on the bottom of your Deck or send it to the Graveyard. Then, draw 2 cards.
• Destiny Draw: Monster Reborn: Can be used before your normal draw if your Life Points are at 2500 or below. Your normal draw this turn will be “Monster Reborn,” from your Deck. If your opponent controls a monster with 3000 ATK or more, you can use this Skill regardless of your Life Points. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Determination to Fight: Apply either of the following effects. Then, place 1 “Gigarays Gandora the Dragon of Destruction” or 1 “Gandora-X the Dragon of Demolition” to your Graveyard from outside of your Deck. Return 1 card from your hand to your Deck and add 1 “Gandora” monster from your Deck to your hand. You can also Normal Summon 1 “Gandora” monster in addition to your regular Normal Summon during this turn. Send 1 “Gadget” monster from your field to the Graveyard, and then play 1 “Silent Magician LV4” or 1 “Silent Swordsman LV3” from outside of your Deck. This Skill can only be used if you begin the Duel with a Deck (excluding Extra Deck) that contains at least 10 “Gadget,” “Silent Swordsman,” or “Silent Magician” monsters. This Skill can only be used once per turn and thrice per Duel.
• Dimension Grasp: You can use this Skill’s first effect once per turn and thrice per Duel. 1: During your Main Phase, shuffle 8 of your banished cards into the Deck.
• Dragon of Luster: You can only use this Skill’s first and second effects once per turn. 1: Shuffle 1 Dragon Normal Monster from your hand into the Deck, then play 1 Dragon Normal Monster with a Level lower than that from your Deck in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.) 2: Can be used from turn 2 onward if you have a Level 5 or higher Dragon Normal Monster on your field. Add 1 “Stamping Destruction” or “Dragon’s Gunfire” from outside your Deck to your hand.
• Draw Pass: In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, recover 300 Life Points. This Skill can only be used three times per Duel.
• Draw Sense: DARK: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random DARK-attribute monster.
• Draw Sense: EARTH: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random EARTH-attribute monster.
• Draw Sense: FIRE: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random FIRE-attribute monster.
• Draw Sense: High-Level: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1000. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random monster of Level 5 or higher.
• Draw Sense: LIGHT: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random LIGHT-attribute monster.
• Draw Sense: Low-Level: Can be used before your normal draw each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. One of the cards from your normal draw this turn will be a random Level 4 or lower monster in your Deck.
• Draw Sense: Spell/Trap: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1000. In the Draw Phase, instead of conducting your normal draw, draw a random Spell/Trap Card. This Skill will only activate if you begin the Duel with a Deck that has 3 or more Spell/Trap Cards with different names.
• Draw Sense: WATER: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random WATER-attribute monster.
• Draw Sense: WIND: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random WIND-attribute monster.
• Elemental Order: Mystical Space Typhoon: You can use this Skill’s first and second effects once per Duel (1 effect per turn). 1: Reveal 1 EARTH, WATER, FIRE, or WIND monster in your hand, then shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck and add 1 “Mystical Space Typhoon” from your Deck to your hand. 2: Reveal 1 “Mystical Space Typhoon” from your hand, then draw 1 card.
• Fusion Darkraze: You can use this Skill if your Extra Deck contains a DARK Fusion Monster. 1: At the beginning of the Duel, gain 1500 LP. 2: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can make 1 face-up monster you control gain 300 ATK until the end of this turn. It gains an additional 500 ATK until the end of this turn if there is a DARK Fusion Monster and/or a DARK monster and a Fusion Monster on your field and/or in your Graveyard.
• Fusion Lightraze: You can use this Skill if your Extra Deck contains a LIGHT Fusion Monster. 1: At the beginning of the Duel, gain 1500 LP. 2: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can make 1 face-up monster you control gain 300 ATK until the end of this turn. It gains an additional 500 ATK until the end of this turn if there is a LIGHT monster and/or a Fusion Monster on your field and/or in your Graveyard.
• Gathering of Cards: When you control “Queen’s Knight”, you can Summon one of the following monsters during your Main Phase in addition to your regular Normal Summon/Set. In addition, the following effect can be used once per Duel. Send 1 Level 10 non-DARK monster with ? ATK from the hand to the Graveyard, and add to your hand one of the following monsters or 1 monster whose text specifically lists all of the following monsters from your Deck. Then, add all of the following monsters from outside of your Deck to the bottom of the Deck; Queen’s Knight Jack’s Knight, King’s Knight. If you use this Skill, you can only Special Summon 1 monster from your Extra Deck until the end of the turn. This Skill can only be used/applied if you begin the Duel with a Deck (excluding Extra Deck) that contains at least 10 LIGHT Warrior-Type monsters. 
• Gathering of Disciples: Can be used by revealing 1 ‘Dark Magician’ in your hand. Add 1 ‘Dark Magician Girl’ to the bottom of your Deck. If you have 2500 or fewer Life Points you can add the ‘Dark Magician Girl’ to your hand instead. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Grandpa’s Cards: Begin Duel with the 5 Exodia pieces in your Deck.
• Kuribohmorph: Select 1 ‘Kuriboh’ monster in your hand or in your Main Monster Zone. Turn it into one of the following ‘Kuriboh’ monsters. Kuriboh, Sphere Kuriboh, Relinkuriboh or Clear Kuriboh. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Level Change!: Return 1 “LV” monster or 1 “Level Up!” to your Deck from your hand. Then, add 1 “LV” monster or 1 “Level Up!” to your hand from your Deck. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Life Charge: Increase your Life Points by the current turn count x200. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• LP Boost α: Increases starting Life Points by 1000.
• LP Boost β: Increases starting Life Points by 1500, reduces hand by 1 card.
• LP Boost γ: Increases starting Life Points by 2500, reduce hand by 2 cards.
• LP Boost: F8: You can use this Skill’s first and second effects if your Extra Deck contains 2 or more Level 8 or lower Fusion Monsters. 1: At the beginning of the Duel, gain 1600 LP. 2: During the End Phase on a turn that you Special Summoned a Level 8 or lower Fusion Monster, gain 400 LP.
• Magical Warrior Call: You can only use this Skill’s first and second effects once per Duel. 1: At the start of your Main Phase, draw 1 card. Then, shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck. This turn, you can Normal Summon 1 “Breaker the Magical Warrior” in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. 2: During your Main Phase, add 1 “Breaker the Magical Warrior” from your Deck to your hand.
• Magician’s Magic: During this Duel, you can only Special Summon DARK Spellcaster-Type monsters and you can Normal Summon/Set “Dark Magician” without Tributing. During your opponent’s turn, you cannot Special Summon monsters from your hand or Graveyard except Level 6 monsters. The following effect can be used once per turn, and each effect can be used only one time. Return 1 “Dark Magician Girl,” “Magical Dimension,” or “Magic Cylinder” to your Deck from your hand. Then, add 1 “Dimension Conjurer” from outside of your Deck to your hand, and add 1 “Dark Magician Girl” from your Deck to your hand. If you control “Dark Magician,” you can add 1 “Secrets of Dark Magic” from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand.
• Master of Fusion: Paladin: Return 1 “Dark Magician” or a Spell/Trap Card that contains “Dark Magician” in its name to your Deck from your hand, then add 1 “Buster Blader” from outside of your Deck to your hand, and Set 1 “Polymerization” to your Spell & Trap Zone. During the turn you use this Skill, you can only Special Summon 1 monster, and during your opponent’s next turn, you cannot Special Summon any monsters.  This Skill can only be used once per turn and twice per Duel. This Skill will only activate if you begin the Duel with a Deck that meets the following conditions; The Deck cannot include two copies of the same card, except for DARK Spellcaster-Type monsters. There are no Fusion Monsters other than “Dark Paladin” in the Extra Deck.
• Master of Magicians: Can be used after your Life Points decrease by 2000. Randomly add 1 ‘Thousand Knives, ‘Dark Magic Attack,’ or ‘Dark Magic Expanded’ to your hand. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Master of Rites: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1000. Return 1 card from your hand to your Deck and choose 1 of the following: Add 1 random Ritual Monster from your Deck to your hand. Add 1 random Ritual Spell Card from your Deck to your hand. This Skill can only be used twice per Duel.
• Master of Rites: Super Soldier: Can be used on turn 2 and onward. Send 1 Ritual Monster from your hand to the Graveyard and add 1 “Super Soldier Synthesis” from outside of your Deck to your hand. During this turn, you can only Special Summon “Black Luster Soldier” monsters, and during this Main Phase, you can only activate one monster effect. If you send “Black Luster Soldier” to the Graveyard, you can also place 1 “Super Soldier Rebirth” from outside of your Deck to the field. This Skill can be used if you begin the Duel with a Deck (excluding Extra Deck) that contains a total of at least 6 monsters that include “Black Luster Soldier” in their card text. These 6 cards must also include 4 different types of card. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Master of the Dark & Chaos: You can only use this Skill’s second and third effects once per Duel. 1: You cannot Normal or Special Summon (excluding Special Summons from the Extra Deck) any monsters, except for Level 8 LIGHT or EARTH monsters and DARK Spellcaster monsters. 2: Reveal 1 DARK Spellcaster monster from your hand, then shuffle 1 card from your hand into your Deck. Next, send 1 “Dark Magician Girl” from your hand or Deck to the Graveyard, then add a combination of “Dark Magician” and/or another card that mentions it for a total of 2 cards from your Deck to your hand. 3: If only your opponent controls a monster, add 1 “Ultimate Fusion” from outside your Deck to your hand. Then, play 1 “Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon” in face-down Defense Position and send 1 “Black Luster Soldier” to the Graveyard.
• Mining of Avarice: You can use this Skill’s first effect twice per Duel. 1: During your Main Phase, shuffle 3 monsters from your Graveyard and/or banished cards into the Deck, including a Rock monster. Then, draw 1 card
• My Monster Cards: If your Deck has 6 or more Level 4 or lower monsters with different names, you will have better chances of having a Level 4 or lower monster in your starting hand. You cannot Special Summon or activate monster effects until the end of the Main Phase of your first turn.
• Pathway to Chaos: Change 1 of the following monster you control to the monster listed. If you are changing an Effect Monster, send 1 ‘Kuriboh’ monster from your hand to your Graveyard. This Skill can only be used once per turn and twice per Duel. Monster that includes ‘Gaia The Fierce Knight’ in its original card name: Black Luster Soldier. Monster whose original card name is ‘Black Luster Soldier’: Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier.
• Power of Dark: Begin Duel with the Field Spell ‘Yami’ activated.
• Precious Cards of the Dark: You can use this Skill’s first effect twice per Duel if your Deck contains 9 or more DARK monsters. 1: At the start of your Main Phase, place 1 card from your hand on the bottom of your Deck, then draw 1 card.
• Restart: Can be used only once after starting hands are drawn. Reduce your starting hand by 1, and then redraw your hand. You cannot Special Summon or activate monster effects until the end of the Main Phase of your first turn.
• Sentrification: Turn all ‘Giant Soldier of Stone’ in your Graveyard into ‘Sentry Soldier of Stone.’ This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Silent Duelist: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1800. Return 1 card from your hand to your Deck, and play ‘Silent Magician LV4’ or ‘Silent Swordsman LV3’ from your Deck. This Skill can only be used once per turn.
• Sorcery Conduit: Can be used each time your Life Points decrease by 1500. In the Draw Phase, instead of doing a normal draw, draw a random Spellcaster-Type monster.
• Spell Counter Boost: Can be used by revealing 2 Spell Cards in your hand. Select 1 face-up card on the field that you can place a Spell Counter on, and place 1 Spell Counter on it. This Skill can only be used once per turn and twice per Duel.
• Spell Specialist: If your Deck contains 5 or more Spell Cards with different names, you will have improved chances of having a Spell Card in your starting hand. You cannot Special Summon or activate monster effects until the end of the Main Phase of your first turn.
• Spellcaster’s Exchange: This Skill can be used twice per Duel. 1: During your Main Phase, place 1 Level 5 or higher Spellcaster monster from your hand on the bottom of your Deck, then draw 1 card.
• Spiral leading to the Dragon Champion: You can only use this Skill’s second and third effects once per Duel. 1: You cannot Normal or Special Summon (excluding Special Summons from the hand and Extra Deck) any monsters, except for Spellcaster and Warrior monsters with 2100 DEF, Level 5 Dragon monsters, and Aqua monsters with 2000 DEF. 2: During your Main Phase, play 1 “Artillery Catapult Turtle” from your hand or Deck to your field. 3: If your opponent controls more cards than you do, add 1 “Polymerization” from outside of your Deck to your hand, and play 1 “Dark Magician” from outside of your Deck to your field in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.)
• Spiral Spear Strike: Can be used if you control a ‘Gaia The Fierce of Knight’ monster with 2300 ATK or more, or ‘Gaia the Dragon Champion.’ Play 1 ‘Spiral Spear Strike’ from outside of your Deck. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• Spiritual Swords of Revealing Light: Can only be used in Tag Duels. At the beginning of your first turn, place 1 ‘Spiritual Swords of Revealing Light’ face-down on your side of the field.
• Strike Back: “Monster Rebirth”: You can only use this Skill’s first effect once per Duel. 1: If your opponent controls a monster, shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck, then Set 1 “Monster Rebirth” from your hand or Deck. (This card can be activated the same turn.)
• Strike Back: “Terrors of the Overroot”: You can only use this Skill’s first effect once per Duel.
• 1: If only your opponent controls a monster, shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck, then Set 1 “Terrors of the Overroot” from your hand or Deck. (This card can be activated the same turn.)
• The Dragon Knight’s Path: Can be used by returning 1 monster in your hand to your Deck. Place 1 “Galloping Gaia” face-up in your Field Zone from your Deck. After using this Skill, you can only Special Summon following monsters until the end of your next turn. A Fusion Monster that uses “Gaia The Fierce Knight” monsters as Fusion Material. “Gaia The Fierce Knight” monster. “Black Luster Soldier” monster. Level 5 Dragon-Type monster. This Skill will only activate if you begin the Duel with a Deck that has 8 or more “Gaia The Fierce Knight”monsters or Level 5 Dragon-Type monsters. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.
• The Soul of Light and Darkness: At the beginning of the Duel, add the Soul of Light and Darkness and 1 Super Soldier Ritual to your Graveyard. During this Duel, you can only Special Summon “Gaia The Fierce Knight” monsters, “Black Luster Soldier” monsters, and monsters without Rank or Level. Once per turn, you can activate the following effect when you Special Summon a “Black Luster Soldier” monster. Add 1 “Black Luster Soldier” Ritual Monster when there are no cards with the same name in your Graveyard and field, and add it from the Deck to your hand. Then, select up to 3 banished cards of yours and return them to your Graveyard. After so, for once per Duel only, if there is “Black Luster Soldier” on your field, you can Set 1 Ritual Spell Card from your Deck to your field.
• The Tie that Binds: Until the end of your turn, the ATK of all face-up monsters on your field increases by the number of monsters on your field times 100. This Skill can only be used once per turn.
• Truth-Piercing Eye: You can use this Skill’s first effect once per turn if your Deck contains a total of 3 or more “Sangan” and/or “Witch of the Black Forest”. 1: Shuffle 1 monster from your hand into your Deck, then play 1 “Sangan” or “Witch of the Black Forest” from your Deck in face-down Defense Position. (Its battle position can be changed.)
• Urgent Ritual: You can only use one of this Skill’s first or second effects per turn (1 effect per turn). 1: Reveal 1 Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell Card, then shuffle 1 card from your hand into the Deck, and add 1 Ritual Monster or 1 Ritual Spell Card to your hand. 2: Reveal 1 Ritual Spell Card and 1 Ritual Monster that is mentioned on that card from your hand, Set 1 “Urgent Ritual Art” from outside your Deck. (This card can be activated the same turn.)
• Warrior’s Sacrifice: Can be used if you began your turn with fewer Life Points than your opponent, and control no cards. Select 1 monster your opponent controls, and send 1 ‘Silent Swordsman’ monster from your hand to the Graveyard. Until the end of the turn, the ATK of the selected monster decreases by the ATK of the ‘Silent Swordsman’ monster. This Skill can only be used once per Duel.

Resistances

• Possession: In Season 2’s Virtual World arc, Noah Kaiba attempts to forcefully take Yugi’s body, but Yami Yugi forces him out. It’s worth noting that they’re in the Virtual World, where Noah has near complete control over everything, yet the Yugis were able to repel him. When Noah attempts to possess Yugi, they’re able to see in Noah’s memories and gain information. 
• Soul Absorption/Assimilation: By thinking of the bonds he has with his friends, Yami Yugi’s soul becomes some sturdy stuff. He shielded Joey and Mai from the Winged Dragon of Ra’s attack, whose flames have been said to be able to burn away the soul. He was able to block the Seal of Orichalcos from taking his soul, even though he didn’t have Yugi with him to be taken in his place. When the Great Leviathan absorbs him, Joey and Kaiba, Yugi is able to resist long enough for all of the taken souls to come together to restore the Egyptian God Cards.
• Corruption: At the end of Season 4, after overcoming the Darkness in his heart, Yami Yugi was able to absorb the combined darkness of humanity into himself, described as the “Planet’s Curse”. Yami Yugi overcoming his darkness means that he’ll never fall to evil powers again.

Monsters

As a quick note, some of the Pokémon and cards listed for Ash and Yugi respectively are not standard. Which ones are not will be elaborated in within respective sections as well as Before The Verdicts, we just felt like mentioning everything to show our passion for both characters.

Ash’s Pokémon

Images by Brobuscus.

Kanto Classics

Pikachu 

(I choose you!)

• Type: Electric
• STAB Targets: Water, Flying
• Weaknesses: Ground
• Resistances and Immunities: Flying, Electric, Steel

Ash’s first and the most recognizable Pokémon ever that needs no introduction. Though when they first met, they didn’t get along at first, later on, Pikachu would forge an unforgettable friendship with Ash and has always travelled with him from Kanto, Sinnoh, Alola and so much more. It’s the most experienced of Ash’s team by far and you can always count on the little guy to help Ash through tight spots. Though it refuses to get into its Pokeball and never wants to evolve into a Raichu, it has an incredibly powerful bond with Ash, so much so that even though he was surrounded by other Pikachu, he was able to spot his own with ease.  

Ash’s Pikachu is certainly a cut above most ordinary Pikachu as it has fought all sorts of powerful Pokémon and even defeated some. This pure electric type isn’t exactly the most sturdy out there, though it makes up for its fragility with power and lightning fast speed, able to match natural clouds to ground lightning and destroy Team Rocket’s helicopter. It’s also taken direct hits from Charizard’s Fire Blast and was able to keep standing, so it’s not as much as a glass cannon as you might think. Pikachu also has a good sense of danger, often being able to sense before it even happens and from a good distance away.

Pikachu also has the Static ability, which basically gives him a chance to paralyze his foes if they physically strike him, forcing them to pick up static electricity. For context, paralyzing in Pokémon can greatly decrease your speed and sometimes make your attack not come out, which is incredibly useful in a fight. It’s even affected Pokémon like Electivire who should normally be immune to it. Pikachu can also absorb electricity from other Pokémon including legendaries and can even heal himself sometimes. He has other weird abilities as well, like somehow being able to revert Ash back to normal size after being miniaturized by sneezing.

Pikachu is also a trans ally (based) and loves ketchup. He’s also surprisingly pretty good at mimicking the faces of other Pokémon. He also also totally should have beaten Blanka smh. 

Moves Used:

• Thunder Shock: One of Pikachu’s first ever moves used, this move will attack with a jolt of electricity. Pikachu since hasn’t used this move in a long time in favor of his stronger counterpart, but he can use weaker versions of his electric shocks anyway. Pikachu has used his electric moves to shock Ash awake as well and can use a non damaging version to communicate with other electric types like Zapdos.
• Thunderbolt: One of Pikachu’s go-tos, he’ll fire a powerful long ranged electric bolt of lightning at his opponents. It’s a powerful lightning bolt, able to cause large explosions strong enough to send Team Rocket blasting off again and again. It’s powerful enough to KO Pokémon like Golem…even though it’s a ground type and should be immune to Pikachu’s lightning. Ash’s Pikachu is also precise enough with his Thunderbolt to aim it into specific small cracks of the Team Rocket mech to make it explode, since it was immune to electricity on the outside and hit far away targets with precision.
• Agility: If Pikachu needs even more speed, he can use this move to get even quicker, letting him appear in multiple places at once and fast enough to run up a Gyarados’ Hydro Pump.
• Quick Attack: Another one of Pikachu’s go-tos, he’ll accumulate speed, letting him dodge all sorts of attacks and slam into his opponents. While the attack is obviously mainly about speed, it is powerful enough to break rocks and KO foes and even stagger legendary foes like Lugia. One of the weirder applications of it though is when Pikachu slammed his tail into the ground with Iron Tail, he then used Quick Attack to create vibrations across the arena to protect himself from Hawlucha’s attack. While certainly unorthodox, it does show that Ash and Pikachu are an incredibly creative duo.
• Thunder: Should Pikachu need even more electrical power, he can use this move to overwhelm his opponents. Though Thunderbolt was previously not enough, using this more powerful variant let Pikachu completely overwhelm it. Pikachu hasn’t used this much since, likely because it requires more energy and it’s less accurate than Thunderbolt, but it has been shown to completely fill a stage up with electricity. 
• Double-Edge: Essentially a more powerful version of tackle, though the user does suffer recoil upon damage. 
• Tackle: Pikachu can slam his opponents with his body with powerful force. Self explanatory. 
• Leer: Though Pikachu technically can’t learn this move in the games, he has used it to try and inflict fear onto his enemies, lowering their defenses. 
• Iron Tail: Though Pikachu had previously struggled against rock types, he has since developed this Steel-type move to help combat them. It’s super effective against Rock, Ice and Fairy-type Pokémon and definitely hits hard. Pikachu has used it to lift Snorlax really high into the air (like damn man) and sharp enough to cut, even giant mechs aren’t safe. It can even use it as a way to transfer its Static paralysis onto foes. 
• Volt Tackle: One of Pikachu’s most powerful attacks (that he promptly forgot during Best Wishes, what are the odds), he’ll charge up with a lot of electrical power as he dashes through and strikes his enemies with great electrical force. The power is so great, it’ll go through a lot of obstacles with ease, including ice from Regice before promptly KOing him. Not even mechs are safe from him. The main drawback of course is that Pikachu does suffer recoil damage from whatever he dealt, but since it’s usually enough to finish most foes off, it’s worth the price.
• Electro Ball: After building enough electricity, Pikachu can fire a…well electrical ball, that’s powerful enough to cause explosions. It’s a fast projectile and Pikachu’s precise enough to destroy a boulder to protect his friends. In the games, it deals more damage the slower they are from Pikachu.
• Electroweb: Pikachu can launch a web of electricity and while it can be used as an attack, it’s main purpose is to restrain his enemies, not even a Guzzlord break through. It can even stop attacks like another Pikachu’s volt tackle. It can block projectiles as well like Gengar’s shadow balls and Pikachu can even use it as a giant field hazard on the floor that makes it incredibly hard for foes to get around with taking damage. Finally, he can use it as a net and as a trampoline to launch himself.
• Gigavolt Havoc: The good ol’ electric type universal Z move is so powerful, not even a Mega Gyarados stands a chance at surviving from the large explosion it makes. Ash has used it in creative ways such as using it to push an ice sled with great momentum.
• Breakneck Blitz: The normal type Z move has Pikachu slam into his foes at great force, capable of destroying even the battlefield he’s on.
• Corkscrew Crash: If there’s a wall in Pikachu’s way, he’ll smash it down as he uses this Steel-type Z move to drill forward with great force. 
• 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt: Pikachu’s exclusive Z Move is an extremely powerful one as he summons clouds and blasts a huge explosion of electrical power. It’s defeated ultra beasts like Nihelego with one shot, blasted it like a kamehameha beam to defeat Tapu Koko, control the trajectory of the bolts to hit Mega Metagross and one time accidentally restarted the Darkest Day while fighting Gigantamax Charizard. Not even Volkner’s Electivire could absorb this attack before getting knocked out.
• Shocking Tail: We’re getting to the ‘fake’ Pokémon attacks, but they’re still worth talking about. Starting with this one, basically, Pikachu charges up his tail with electricity to hit his opponent REALLY hard. Took down a Ditto copying him funny enough.
• Spin Dodge: While Pikachu’s moving forward, he can spin in midair to successfully avoid a lot of attacks, very useful to out maneuver and get around most foes.
• Counter Shield: Pikachu channels bolts of electricity all around him and spin really fast, letting him deflect a bunch of attacks while also counteracting back at it. It can bind opponents as well, preventing them from moving.
• Thunder Armor: Pikachu can shock himself and Swellow (and potentially other partner Pokémon) with powerful electricity and have them both glow with thunderous yellow power. This really shouldn’t have worked considering Swellow’s a flying type and weak to electricity…but it did, and this amped up both of their powers by a great amount, letting them go through Solrock and Lunatone’s attacks with ease and KO them both.

Butterfree

• Type: Bug and Flying
• STAB Targets: Bug, Grass, Fighting (It did not learn any Bug type attacks)
• Weaknesses: Rock (4x), Fire, Electric, Ice, Flying
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting (x1/4), Ground, Grass (x1/4)

As a Caterpie, he was actually the first Pokémon Ash ever caught, but quickly evolved into the more powerful Butterfree. Always having been good friends, Ash eventually said goodbye to his friend as he found his own mate in the iconic Bye Bye Butterfree episode…though he eventually reunited with him after becoming world champion! Butterfree isn’t the most powerful member of Ash’s team, but he has some useful techniques that can cause powerful status effects on his enemies. He can also fly and blow gusts of wind.

Moves Used:

• String Shot: While mainly used while he was a Caterpie, he can use these webs to slow down and sometimes even incapacitate foes. It’s even strong enough to swing these webs around and slam a Pinsir to the ground. 
• Harden: As a Metapod, it can, well, harden his defenses that even Pinsir struggles to crack. It only used this move as a Metapod and has not used it since.
• Sleep Powder: Releasing powder from his wings, it can make foes drowsy and put them to sleep. It has a large enough AOE to inflict target multiple foes at once, including a large group of Primeape. 
• Whirlwind: Butterfree can flap his wings to literally blow his opponents away though it doesn’t straight up do damage (though it can get rid of nuisances like Koffing’s gas).
• Tackle: Butterfree can ram into his foes with the force of his body. Self-explanatory. 
• Stun Spore: Butterfree can spread powder once more, but instead of putting foes to sleep, it can paralyze foes, lowering their speed and movement.
• Gust (I Choose You only): Butterfree can blow a gust of wind as a Flying-type move, powerful enough that not even Fearow wants the smoke anymore after getting hit by it.

Pidgeot

• Type: Normal and Flying
• STAB Targets: Fighting, Bug, Grass
• Weaknesses: Rock, Electric, Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Grass, Ground, Ghost

Caught in the Viridian Forest as a Pidgeotto, it’s always been a loyal friend to Ash. After an encounter with a Fearow (the same Spearow that Ash tried to catch in the first episode, fun fact), it would later evolve into the more powerful Pidgeot, letting him defeat the angry bird. Ash had left Pidgeot to defend the forest of Pidgeys but reunited with his friend once more, joining his party again (after a gap of 1,151 episodes). Pidgeot can be considered an all rounder, with an emphasis on flight and speed. It attacks with his wings and gusts of wind and it’s strong enough to carry both Ash and Pikachu on his back without issue.

Moves Used:

• Quick Attack: With a burst of speed, Pidgeot can slam his into opponents, dealing good damage.
• Gust: This flying-type move has Pidgeot fire gusts of wind, letting him damage foes like Fearow from a distance. It supposedly might be powerful to shake the forest with it too and blow away a cloud of smoke.
• Sand Attack: Pidgeot can blow smoke/dust into his opponents, lowering their accuracy.
• Whirlwind: Similar to gust, Pidgeot can blow a fierce force of wind, though it’s more about pushing his opponents away rather than dealing straight up damage.
• Wing Attack: This physical flying-type move has Pidgeot smack his foes with its wing. Self-explanatory. 
• Double-Edge: Pidgeot can use this more powerful variant and slam into his foes with force, though it can cause recoil damage after. It is powerful enough to defeat a Rhydon with it…even though it should have been heavily resistant to his attacks.

Bulbasaur

• Type: Grass and Poison
• STAB Targets: Ground, Rock, Water, Grass, Fairy
• Weaknesses: Flying, Fire, Psychic, Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Water, Grass, Electric, Fairy

The classic grass Kanto starter was first seen when Ash and the gang discovered a hidden village where Pokémon that were abused by humans could live without suffering through that again. While initially distrusting, Ash eventually caught Bulbasaur and quickly became good friends. He journeyed with Ash for a long time, going all the way to Johto until Professor Oak needed help settling a fight between Pokémon at his lab and Bulbasaur was the right one for the job. Since then, he’s stayed at Professor Oak’s lab but will always come running to Ash’s side if he needs him.

Though Bulbasaur is stubborn and refuses to evolve, he’s still a surprisingly strong partner and keeps up with the team. He makes up for his small stature with surprisingly strength and abilities.

Moves Used:

• Tackle: He can tackle his opponents with his body.
• Vine Whip: Bulbasaur can bring out two whips from his body to attack his opponents with them. He has good lifting strength with them, grabbing a Graveler without issue, strike a Rhyhorn spinning and fast enough to deflect several baseballs. He’s even defeated Misty’s Psyduck by uhhh literally tickling him that Misty was forced to return him.
• Razor Leaf: Bulbasaur can fire multiple leafs, sometimes in rapid succession. Don’t underestimate them as they are sharp enough to cut through metal cages with ease and are strong enough to launch an Exeggutor into the air.
• Leech Seed: Bulbasaur can fire a seed that’ll ensnare his enemies and suck out the energy from them. It’s even done it to a Beedrill and forced it to stop flying after a short time.
• Solar Beam: Though it usually takes a while to charge (though sped up while he’s charging from direct sunlight), this powerful beam that fires from its bulb makes up for, defeating most foes it blasts. It even managed to clash with a Meganium’s Solarbeam, despite the evolutionary difference. It can fire even higher than a nearby mountain.
• Sleep Powder: From his bulb, Bulbasaur can release a powdery substance to make foes drowsy and put them to sleep. He’s made an Exeggutor drowsy and uhh made it fall off a cliff.
• Take Down: Bulbasaur rams his body even harder than usual, though with some recoil damage. 
• Dig: Bulbasaur can dig into the ground and try to avoid danger. 
  • Fun fact: Bulbasaur naturally can’t learn Dig

Charizard

The absolute GOAT – 8bitUtopia

• Type: Fire and Flying
• STAB Targets: Grass, Ice, Steel, Fighting, Bug
• Weaknesses: Water, Rock (4x), Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Grass, Steel, Fairy, Bug, Fire. Immune to Ground

One of Ash’s most well known Pokémon, Charizard has always been an MVP for him. Catching him after he was abandoned as a Charmander, he quickly became friends and a trusted partner. Though when he evolved into Charmeleon, he became more disobedient and arrogant of his power, and only more so when he fully evolved into Charizard. Though it took a while, Ash and Charizard finally made up and are good friends once more, now willing to listen to his commands.

Charizard has fantastic power AND speed, which is a dangerous combo to have especially when you can breathe fire and fly. He’s also surprisingly durable, able to survive a super effective Hydro Pump from Blastoise. He would later on defeat said Blastoise despite his type disadvantage and defeated other great foes like Articuno, Iris’ Dragonite, and an Incineroar in an alternative continuity. You don’t want to mess with this fire lizard for sure.

Moves Used:

• Flamethrower: Charizard’s signature fire breath is a devastating move. He can melt rock and even an entire pool of water despite…being fire. It can even home in on enemies and keep up with Entei. He’s also able to make a perfectly shaped ice sled with casual flamethrowers…somehow.
• Leer: Charizard can stare down at his opponents, inflicting fear and lowering their defenses.
• Rage: Mainly used as a Charmander, when he takes damage, he builds up rage and amps up his attacks, including Flamethrower which helps him defeat Primeape.
• Skull Bash: Mainly used as a Charmander, he can ram his head into his enemies. 
• Ember: Though not really used that much anymore due to powercreep, Charizard can fire a weaker flame, mostly to light up camps.
• Fire Spin: Charizard can fire a special variant of flames that spin around, creating a vortex that’s extremely hard to get out. It’s caught Falkner’s Pidgeot with it and even an entire tower to try and catch Entei.
• Submission: Charizard basically spins around to try and incapacitate his opponents.
• Seismic Toss: Charizard will lift his opponent into the air and spin around and around before tossing them with great force. This is often a finisher for Charizard and dang it looks cool. This is how he defeated Gary’s Blastoise. He’s able to use a variant called Flaming Seismic Toss – A combination of Seismic Toss and Fire Spin that does even more damage.
• Dragon Rage: Charizard can fire a burst of draconic energy to blast his foes, often causing powerful explosions.
• Take Down: Charizard puts more force than normal to ram his foes, though he does take some recoil damage after. 
• Tackle: Charizard can tackle his opponents with his body.
• Dragon Breath: Charizard can fire a torrent of draconic energy, able to fire a hole in clouds and pin his opponents to walls.
• Overheat: Charizard can heat up his body, melting any ice on his body before unleashing a very powerful stream of fire, even more than usual. Trade off is usually Charizard’s power will lower until he’s recalled into his pokeball.
• Steel Wing: Charizard can harden his wings for a powerful ram with his wings with this Steel type attack.
• Wing Attack: His main STAB flying type attack, Charizard attack with swiftness and power with his wings. It even collided with a thunder punch despite the type disadvantage.
• Slash: Charizard’s will glow and extend, dealing ferocious damage to his foes with a higher chance to deal critical hits than normal. 
• Dragon Tail: This Dragon type move has Charizard’s tail glow blue before slamming opponents into the ground. He has sent an Exploud flying and even a Ninetales across a forest, so it’s not a bad move for sending troublesome opponents away for a while.

Squirtle

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, Steel 

This lovable water turtle was abandoned by his previous trainer and soon joined the infamous Squirtle Squad (and rocks some really cool shades honestly). Ash did catch him and became friends and helped Ash along the journey. He did eventually notice that the Squirtle Squad was nothing without their leader, so Ash did let him go for a while, but officer Jenny is always willing to help Squirtle come to Ash whenever he needs him.

Squirtle is well balanced for his size and has kept up with fully evolved Pokémon too despite being a first stage. Do not underestimate this Kanto starter.  

Moves Used:

• Water Gun: The quintessential water type move, Squirtle has really taken this move and pushed it to its limits. He’s capable of rapidly firing it with precision, and even has a burst spread!
• Skull Bash: With a burst of energy, Squirtle can launch himself and headbutt someone really hard. It’s even knocked out a huge Onix despite the rock snake should have resisted it.
• Tackle: Squirtle will tackle with force with his body.
• Withdraw: Since he’s a turtle, Squirtle can withdraw his limbs into his shell for added defense. Though he technically can’t move, he can still fire a hydro pump from the inside. It also of course obviously increases his defense, blocking attacks from a Nidorino who could shatter rock and a Thunderbolt from Persian (though it does char his shell and he’s not invincible while in it).
• Bubble Beam: Squirtle can let out a torrent of bubbles from his mouth which is surprisingly more effective than you’d think as it has KO’d a Machamp and even staggered Drake’s Dragonite.
• Hydro Pump: Squirtle can fire a very powerful blast of water, usually from his shell after withdrawing. He’s used to cleaning his eyes after being blinded temporarily. He can even fly…somehow Gamera-style by shooting water in all directions.
• Bubble: Basically a weaker version of Bubble Beam. Not much else to say. 
• Rapid Spin: Squirtle can spin around and around in his shell, sometimes even stronger enough to create a gust of wind. Perfect for those annoying stealth rock and spike setters. 

Kingler

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, Steel 

Found on a beach when Misty made fun of Ash for not having any ‘real’ catches, this runt of the cast would wait to make their debut until the Indigo Conference. Concerned about using the Pokémon for the first time, Krabby reached every goal Ash could’ve hoped for, evolving into Kingler in his very first battle and going on to sweep the entire round for him. Since then, Kingler has mostly functioned as a reserve pick for any water themed tournaments Ash comes across.

Moves Used:

• Harden: Kingler tenses up their body to increase their defense.
• Vise Grip: Pinchy pinchy.
• Leer: Kingler’s eyes glow and causes the target to lower their defense out of fear.
• Stomp: Stomps- wait a minute it does a FLYING KICK?
• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes.
• Bubble: Much like a real crab, Kingler fires out a cloud of foam from their mouth.
• Crabhammer: Kingler’s signature move, they slam their huge claw onto their opponent. The attack also has the chance to create a projectile from the shockwave.
• Hyper Beam: Kingler charges up a huge wave blast in their large claw and fires it to tremendous effect.

Primeape

• Type: Fighting
• STAB Targets: Normal, Dark, Steel, Ice, Rock
• Weaknesses: Fairy, Flying, Psychic
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Rock, Dark

Ash discovered him when he was just a Mankey after the latter stole his hat. He was rather mischievous and short tempered, but after Ash caught him, they became friends and won the P1 Grand Prix becoming its champion. Since then, Ash had left Primeape in the care of another trainer (and…hasn’t gone back for him since), but his fighting skills and ability to keep up and defeat other fighting Pokémon means this one should not be underestimated.

Moves Used:

• Thrash: Primeape will get angry (and I mean more so than usual) and punches and kicks the opponent repeatedly, chasing after them. 
• Scratch: Mainly used as a Mankey, he’ll put his hands into a fist and well, scratch his opponents repeated. 
• Mega Kick: Primeape will jump into the air and deliver a very powerful kick. Despite the name, it’s actually just a normal-type move, so STAB cannot be applied. 
• Seismic Toss: Primeape will grab the opponent before jumping up and tossing them to the ground. While it’s a Fighting-type move, its damage is more about what level Primeape is at the time (though this likely is different in the anime vs the games).

Muk

• Type: Poison
• STAB Targets: Grass, Fairy
• Weaknesses: Ground, Psychic
• Resistances and Immunities: Grass, Fighting, Poison, Bug, and Fairy

The cuddliest biohazard you’ll ever meet, Ash’s Muk started out as the cunning leader of a gang of Grimer who he commanded to destroy a power plant. After Ash saved the plant and captured him, Muk….completely flipped their switch after receiving an ounce of affection, becoming a total cuddlebug. Much to everyone’s dismay given his kind’s dangerous stench, but being a living sludge pile comes with a lot of perks, namely his shock absorbent and slashproof body.

Moves Used:

• Body Slam: Giving a whole new meaning to the word ‘glomp’, Muk smothers the target with his goopy body.
• Poison Gas (Dub Only): Muk exhales deeply, disorienting the target with his foul stench. (Note: Muk doesn’t have this move in the sub, rather his usage of this power was improvised)
• Sludge Bomb: Muk fires out a bunch of poison globules at the target.

Tauros (x30)

• Type: Normal
• STAB Targets: lol
• Weaknesses: Fighting
• Resistances and Immunities: Ghost

This herd of bull-headed individuals have one thing they love more than anything in life: RUNNING IN A STRAIGHT LINE!!! All caught during a contest between Team Rocket and Ash, this group of 30 had the nasty tendency of stampeding right in front of wherever Ash threw his safari balls. However, manage to separate one from the rest of the group, and they’re a lot more friendly.

Throughout his adventures, Ash has used various members of the herd for different tournaments and challenges, usually calling upon them as a solid reserve pick in case one of his usual lineup is unable to battle. Due to the fact that none of them have distinguishing markings, it’s impossible to tell which one Ash is using at any given moment, so for the sake of our sanity we’re assuming all of them have access to the same moves.

Moves Used:

• Fissure: Tauros’ ultimate move, known to most as an OHKO (One Hit Knockout) move, they stomp their hoof on the ground creating a shockwave that travels in a straight line towards the target. This shockwaves travels through both land and water, but not the air. It also cannot be used on ground too soft to send a shockwave through. (NOTE: While we’ve never seen it actually land to verify the effects, other OHKO moves in the anime have been seen to work instantaneously, suggesting that the OHKO effect is achieved through a power of the technique, and not anything to do with the actual strength of the move.)
• Take Down: True to their nature as bulls, Tauros charge into their opponents with tremendous force, enough to shake a whole colosseum!
• Horn Attack: Tauros digs one of their horns into the target, and proceeds to send them flying.
• Double Team: OH GOD THERE’S MORE OF THEM

Mimey (Mr. Mime)

• Type: Psychic and Fairy
• STAB Targets: Fighting, Poison (it has no Fairy type attacks)
• Weaknesses: Poison, Ghost, Steel
• Resistances and Immunities: Psychic, Fighting (x1/4), Dragon (Immunity)

A fun old mime man, Mr. Mime is a goofy yet capable Pokémon. He actually belongs to Ash’s mother, however is more than willing to team up with Ash whenever the son of the Ketchum family has interest in bringing him to a fight. Despite the goofy behavior, he’s more than capable of holding his own. Team Rockets and Professor Oaks beware (for entirely separate reasons).

Moves Used:

• Barrier: Mr. Mime creates a defensive wall with Psychic type energy. This is good for blocking attacks, but as multiple can be spawned, it’s also effective for a movement limiting stage hazard if placed properly.
• Light Screen: A simple but potent Psychic type move involving the creation of an intangible energy barrier around Mr. Mime. That may sound counter-intuitive, but Light Screen’s perk is halving the damage of any ranged attacks that pass through it. It can even be passed onto teammates to defend them as well, and will be maintained for a bit even if Mr. Mime goes down.
• Double Slap: A strong physical Normal type attack, Mr. Mime slaps the foe twice.
• Psychic: Mr. Mime’s main STAB attack, Psychic is a, well, Psychic type move involving telekinetically lifting the opponent. This can suspend a foe temporarily, or slam them hard into a rough surface. 
• Focus Punch: You wouldn’t expect it from Mr. Mime, but it can deal devastating Fighting type damage with Focus Punch. A strong physical move that requires a bit of charge time, but pays off with strong close up power.
• Reflect: A Psychic type move, it is basically the physical attack version of Light Screen. Identical to it besides that.

Lapras

• Type: Water and Ice
• STAB Targets: Ground, Rock, Fire, Flying, Grass, Dragon
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Rock, Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water and Ice

A baby stranded from her pod after a storm, Ash’s Lapras would wind up becoming beached on the shore of one of the Orange Islands. After Ash saved her from some delinquents and escorted her to a Pokémon center, Lapras would wind up one of Ash’s Pokémon and primary means of traversing the Orange Islands. Eventually they managed to find her pod again, reuniting the baby with their mother. Out of Ash’s released Pokémon, Lapras has returned to him the most, managing to find him again not once, but twice across the trainer’s adventures.

Moves Used:

• Ice Beam: Lapras fires out a beam of cryokinetic energy, freezing whatever it touches. Lapras has shown an absurd degree of precision with this move, being capable of forging constructs and freezing selective portions of the environment.
• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes.

Snorlax

• Type: Normal
• STAB Targets: lol
• Weaknesses: Fighting
• Resistances and Immunities: Ghost 

Don’t let the looks deceive you, this pudgy powerhouse is a major contender for Ash’s most consistently performing Pokémon! Ash originally found Snorlax while he was in the act of consuming every pomelo tree on an island…not every fruit, every TREE. Both Ash and Team Rocket tried just about every trick in the book to take the big guy down, brute force, electricity, paralysis, and even mind control! It wasn’t until Jigglypuff and Pikachu teamed up to stagger him that he finally went down for Ash to catch him.

Snorlax is easily one of Ash’s tankiest Pokémon, thanks largely in part to their abnormal weight for a member of their species, and their very bouncy belly. While their exact weight is unknown, it tells a terrifying story that a Hariyama, a species stated as capable of sending 10 ton objects flying, could barely move him a couple inches. This makes Ash’s Snorlax approximately 21x fatter than the norm for their species!

It even won itself a sumo tournament. Good for him.

Moves Used:

• Body Slam: Snorlax puts every pound to use to flatten his opponent like a pancake.
• Headbutt: Snorlax slams his head into the opponent, sometimes causing them to flinch.
• Mega Kick: Does a whole roundhouse kick complete with impact frames to send the target flying.
• Mega Punch: Snorlax’s fist glows with white energy as it delivers a vicious hook.
• Hyper Beam: Called ‘Devastation Beam’ in Japan for good reason, Snorlax’s most powerful move is a force of nature. He’s even used it for a couple tricks, like propelling himself, and breaking out of binding moves.
• Ice Punch: Coats his hand in cryokinetic energy and nails the opponent with it, sometimes causing them to freeze solid.
• Tackle: Tackles.
• Protect: A rather unique usage of it in comparison to other Pokémon, Snorlax’s Protect only appears to enhance his natural durability, as opposed to the average blue or green energy shields.
• Rest: Snorlax takes a quick nap to fully restore their health. Important to note he can use this even while frozen, a status that normally incapacitates whatever Pokémon is caught in it.

Johto Jovials

Heracross

• Type: Bug and Fighting
• STAB Targets: Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark, Psychic, and Grass
• Weaknesses: Psychic, Fairy, Fire, and Flying (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Bug, Ground, Grass, and Dark

The first Pokémon Ash catches in the Johto region, Ash and the gang worked with him to save his ecosystem from Team Rocket. Ever since, Heracross has been a reliable heavy hitter for the team, utilizing its incredible strength for plenty of battles. He can expand his back wings for bursts of speed, and has an awkward but adorable taste for nectar. Poor Bulbasaur.

Moves Used:

• Tackle: A Normal type move where Heracross rams into opponents with its body
• Horn Attack: A Normal type attack where Heracross attacks with his horn, he often uses this to throw enemies dozens of feet into the air
• Endure: A Normal type attack Heracross to survive attacks that would have downed it
• Leer: A Normal type move that has Heracross intensely stare at opponents, used for intimidation
• Take Down: A Normal type move where Heracross rams full force into the opponent, though this move does also damage Heracross in the process.
• Fury Attack: A Normal type attack that has Heracross strike repeatedly
• Megahorn: A Bug type move that has Heracross ram his horn into opponents with no letup
• Sleep Talk: Allows Heracross to use its other moves while its sleeping
• Focus Punch: A Fighting Type move that does heavy damage, but requires concentration that can be interrupted
• Hyper Beam: A Normal Type attack that fires a massive beam of energy, but requires a moment for Heracross to recharge afterwards

Bayleef

• Type: Grass
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, and Ground
• Weaknesses: Fire, Bug, Poison, Ice, and Flying
• Resistances and Immunities: Ground, Water, Grass, and Electric

One day, Ash found a lone, stubborn Chikorita in the wild. After rescuing her from a night in the freezing cold, the Chikorita grew to have great affection for Ash, and joined his team. Her love for Ash has led to plenty of shenanigans, including some trouble in an electric labyrinth that caused her to evolve into Bayleef. From there, her affection combined with her rising strength caused some trouble for Ash’s health, though the two have been able to work things out and Bayleef has been a loyal and ever so affectionate ally ever since.

Moves Used:

• Razor Leaf: A Grass type move that has Bayleef shoot razor sharp leaves at the opponent
• Vine Whip: A Grass type move that has Chikorita hit someone at a distance with vines sprouted from her body. This can also be used to grab things from a distance or even as a rope or tether.
• Tackle: A Normal type move that has Bayleef ram into opponents with its body
• Sweet Scent: Bayleef can use this as a relaxant, lowering the guard of anyone who smells it
• Body Slam: A Normal type move, Bayleef slams its body on top of an opponent. This move has a chance to paralyze. Bayleef also uses it for effective glomping
• Headbutt: A Normal type move that has Bayleef ram her head into opponents, this can cause flinching

Quilava

• Type: Fire
• STAB Targets: Grass, Bug, Steel, Ice
• Weaknesses: Water, Rock, Ground
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Fire, Grass, Steel, Ice, Fairy

Ash found a Cyndaquil on his way to Azalea Town in a competition with a trainer named Koji. After catching it, Cyndaquil showed great potential, though he had trouble utilizing its fire. It took some training, but they found a way to master his flames of determination. When they reunited for the Sinnoh League, Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava during an encounter with Team Rocket, increasing his power and speed even further.

Moves Used:

• Flamethrower: A Fire type move, has Quilava shoot a massive stream of fire
• Tackle: A Normal type attack, Quilava runs into opponents with his body
• Agility: A Psychic type attack, has Quilava speed around, good for dodging attacks or increasing speed
• Smokescreen: A Normal type move, has Quilava release a smokescreen to make it hard to see
• Flame Wheel: A Fire type move, has Quilava roll into a wheel of fire to charge at opponents
• Eruption: A Fire type move, has Quilava shoot a massive geyser of fire from underneath the opponent
• Aerial Ace: A Flying type move, while the game description describes it as a cutting move that never misses, the anime portrays it as a speedy charge into opponents. It even appears he can fly with this move.

Totodile

“Clutch up my silly lil’ guy” – Rae

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, Steel 

When the gang found a Totodile in the wild, Ash and Misty tripped over each other trying to catch it. Eventually Ash won Totodile in a battle, earning a new goofy and excitable team member. His dances and biting has led to him being a useful team member when he gets the time to shine.

Moves Used:

• Bite: A Dark type move, has Totodile bite the opponent
• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes.
• Tackle: A Normal type move where Totodile rams into the opponent with his body
• Scary Face: A Normal type move that has Totodile make a scary face, while it has its effects in the games, Totodile’s is used more as an intimidation tactic to… questionable success
• Headbutt: A Normal type move where Totodile…well…headbutts you
• Slash: A Normal type move that has Totodile slash at the opponent with its many sharp edges

Noctowl

• Type: Normal and Flying
• STAB Targets: Fighting, Grass, Bug
• Weaknesses: Electric, Rock, Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Bug, Grass, Ground (immunity)

When traveling through a forest during his journey in the Johto Region, Ash found a Noctowl of unusual color alongside a man who claimed to be its “rival”. After getting caught up in shenanigans to catch it, including falling under Hypnotism several times, Ash eventually earns his trust after risking his life to save it from Team Rocket, and decides to join Ash’s team. His shiny colors aren’t just for him to look cool, Noctowl has been a crucial member of Ash’s team, from his shining battle against Gym Leader Morty, his ability to command Ash’s Pokémon when he isn’t able to, or even helping Ash during some battles in the Johto and Sinnoh Leagues. 

Moves Used:

• Peck: Flying type attack that has Noctowl peck at the opponents
• Hypnosis: Noctowl’s Hypnosis is a Psychic type attack causes anyone affected to hallucinate into what Noctowl desires
• Whirlwind: A Normal type move that has has it blow a massive gust of wind
• Foresight: A Normal type move that allows Noctowl to dispel illusions
• Tackle: A Normal type move that has Noctowl ram into his opponents
• Confusion: A Psychic attack that has a chance to confuse its target
• Sky Attack: A Flying type move where Noctowl takes a moment to charge before diving from the sky to attack
• Air Slash: A Flying type move where Noctowl makes a spherical projectile of wind or glowing blades of energy
• Extrasensory: A Psychic type attack where Noctowl blasts opponents with a wave of psychic energy that allows him to move foes telekinetically

Donphan

• Type: Ground
• STAB Targets: Fire, Rock, and Steel 
• Weaknesses: Water, Grass, and Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Poison, Rock, Electric (immunity)

After Ash had saved Mr. Shellby’s Pokémon Daycare from Team Rocket, he received an egg as a gift. That egg evolved into an adorable little Phanpy. It took some time for Phanpy and Ash to truly become partners, but an altercation at a waterfall helped the two truly become friends. After some time apart, Ash eventually brought him along for his journey across the Battle Frontier, where he evolved into Donphan and found himself as quite a bulky and tough Pokémon among Ash’s roster.

Moves Used:

• Tackle: A Normal type attack where Donphan rams into the opponent
• Take Down: A Normal type move where Donphan rams full force into the opponent, though this move does also damage him in the process.
• Rollout: A Rock type move, Donphan curls up and charges into the opponent by rolling, this move gets stronger the more its used
• Defense Curl: A Normal type move where Donphan curls up to conceal his weak spots, increasing his defense to help block attacks
• Earthquake: A Ground type move where Donphan slams its legs on the ground to create an earthquake
• Hidden Power: Donphan fires a beam of white energy. This move could be any type, but for Donphan it isn’t said which.
• Hyper Beam: A Normal type move, Donphan fires a massive beam of energy, though this requires some time to recharge afterwards.

Larvitar

• Type: Rock and Ground
• STAB Targets: Fire, Rock, and Steel (He did not learn any Rock attacks).
• Weaknesses: Water (2x), Grass (2x), Fighting, Ground, Steel, and Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Rock, Fire, Electric (immunity)

Once an egg that experienced tragedy after tragedy, Ash was tasked with delivering this soon to be hatched Larvitar to Professor Elm. Once it did hatch, Ash helped Larvitar through the healing process and finding its own determination. Eventually, the two decided to go their separate ways after Ash reunited Larvitar with its mother, but the two had undoubtedly changed each other’s lives forever.

Moves Used:

• Screech: A Normal type move, Larvitar unleashes a loud noise to disorient opponents.
• Hidden Power: A move that can be any type, Larvitar fires a wave of energy at the opponent.
• Bite: A Dark type move that has Larvitar bite the opponent.
• Dig: A Ground type move that has Larvitar dig underground and jump up at the opponent for a surprise hit.

Hoenn Heroes

Swellow

• Type: Normal and Flying
• STAB Targets: Fighting, Bug, Grass
• Weaknesses: Rock, Electric, Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Grass, Ground (immunity), Ghost (immunity)

The very first of Ash’s friends in his journey through the Hoenn region, even as a troublemaking Taillow it proved itself surprisingly capable, refusing to let up on Ash even after several attacks from Pikachu. Once it was caught, it frequently proved itself to be a very capable member of the team and often one of the best performers in the team. This only became more true upon evolution, where Swellow would become a pivotal member in many of Ash’s biggest battles against both Gym Leaders and Frontier Brains. And as it grew, so too did its ability to resist electricity far better than other Flying-Types, sometimes to rather infamous results. 

Swellow’s style of battle pairs well with Ash’s tendency for quick and to the point offense, often using its speed and aerial mobility to quickly maneuver around foes and assault them with powerful strikes from above. It’s surprising how strong it is on occasion, from defeating high level Pokémon such as Tucker’s Swampert and Spenser’s Venusaur, to being able to stop a Donphan’s rollout, and destroying a good amount of the mechs Team Rocket rolls out against its master. Swellow’s remained a very consistent and reliable wingman for the boy from Pallet Town.

Moves Used:

• Peck: A standard pick for any Flying-Type, Swellow uses its natural traits to pierce foes with its beak for some quick and easy damage. It’s learned greater moves over time, but Peck still finds use as a good attack for starting a battle.
• Wing Attack: A bit of a step up from Peck, Swellow flies forward with a glowing wing to strike an opponent fast and hard. Swellow also has used it on occasion as a tool to clear up obstructions such as sandstorms.
• Quick Attack: Taking advantage of Swellow’s already impressive speed, Quick Attack allows it to rush in at foes at speeds often too fast to dodge or react to for some good damage, often being so fast only Pokémon that can teleport or especially fast Pokémon such as Deoxys’ Speed-Forme can consistently avoid it.
• Aerial Ace: Taking a page from Winona’s book, Ash taught his Swellow to use the always accurate and powerful Aerial Ace, which would become its signature move. While it took some time to master, Aerial Ace would soon become Swellow’s most reliable move to end a battle, with foes such as Spenser’s Venusaur or Tucker’s Swampert being notable victories from the attack. Even foes underwater such as Juan’s Whiscash aren’t safe from this. What’s more, Swellow has combined this with Quick Attack in the past to improve upon its power. Towards the end of the series, Swellow had mastered this attack to the point it could damage and move a massive mechanical Slaking piloted by Team Rocket. 
• Double Team: A move picked up later in its tenure, Swellow can create duplicates of itself to confuse an enemy and lead them to not being able to know which Swellow is the real one before its too late.
• Air Slash: Swellow throws out projectiles that are… well, slashes of air. Once hit, these powerful slashes have a chance of making Swellow’s target flinch.

Sceptile

My glorious king – Frost

• Type: Grass
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, and Ground
• Weaknesses: Fire, Bug, Poison, Ice, and Flying
• Resistances and Immunities: Ground, Water, Grass, and Electric

Ash picked up this Grass-Type as a Treecko when it was fighting to protect its home, and only felt ready to go along with Ash when it saw the way he cared just as much as itself for such matters. From then on, from its first stage to final evolution, Sceptile would be a cool and collected member of Ash’s party and one of his first picks for a battle. Spending a large amount of its time in both Hoenn and Kanto as a Grovyle, it proved itself capable of facing powerful foes that seemed well beyond its weight class, such as an Exploud, a Pokémon that can cause earthquakes with its voice, or Winona’s Swellow. It took an unfortunate case of heartbreak following a loss to a Tropius that finally pushed Grovyle to reach its final form of Sceptile, and while that heartbreak still caused it to not perform at its best, once it was able to push itself to fighting again, there’s been few battlers more reliable in Ash’s lineup.

Much like Swellow, Sceptile tends to prioritize speed and raw power, and more often than not likes to end fights with a few powerful strikes, and if it can it will also tend to use the environment to its advantage, such as jumping from tree to tree or climbing similar tall structures. Sceptile is a prideful fighter and has dedicated itself to training relentlessly if it doesn’t perform its best. It’s had its fair share of lesser moments and losses to Pokémon it would normally have the edge to, but it always bounces right back and heads into the next fight ready to prove itself all over. This pairs well with its signature ability Overgrow, which supercharges all of its Grass-Type attacks and makes an already powerful fighter that much stronger, which is how it was able to triumph over Norman’s Slaking as a Grovyle. Even beyond that however, Sceptile has an impressive track record, such as defeating two of Frontier Brain Spenser’s Pokémon. Surprisingly enough, it’s also frequently competing with Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, putting up an impressive fight (if ultimately losing) against Brandon’s Regirock, and keeping pace with a Speed-Forme Deoxys, and, famously, being the one to ultimately defeat the previously undefeated Tobias’ Darkrai.

Moves Used:

• Pound: The standard move for any Treecko, but one that Sceptile would find use for even in its final evolution. Using a particularly large part of its body (tail in the case of its first and last stages), Sceptile slams down on a foe for some straightforward and effective damage. While a less than average move in the games, it shows its strength here, when even as a Treecko Pound was being used to shatter rocks, or how in its fight with May’s Blaziken it was able to collide with the latter’s Blaze Kick at relatively equal power.
• Quick Attack: Already a fast and agile Pokémon, this move lets Sceptile zip around the battlefield at even faster paces and outspeed Pokémon at a much more reliable pace. Couple that with Sceptile’s large size and impressive strength and it’s a move that proves a good option in nearly any battle. 
• Bullet Seed: The first Grass-Type move from Sceptile’s lineup, this move lets Sceptile attack from a distance to pepper an opponent with damage that builds up over time. While the spray might seem on the weak side, it can prove a powerful move in its own right if allowed time to build up, such as when was able to weaken Tyson’s Metagross by targeting a small crack in the Pokémon’s body and set it up for a knockout by Pikachu later on.
• Leaf Blade: The signature move of the species, Sceptile uses the sharp leaves on its forearms to cut down its opponents with a sharp and strong Grass-Type attack. While having good utility in matters such as cutting through Team Rocket’s trap of the day, it consistently justifies itself as the ace up Sceptile’s sleeve with the cutting power to slice boulders, or heavily damage powerful Pokémon such as Spenser’s Shiftry, Brandon’s Regirock, or Tobias’ Darkrai. Even Pokémon that should logically resist it such as Winona’s Altaria have a hard time defending against this move. 
• Solar Beam: Learned just a little bit after final evolution, this move would become a powerful ranged option in Sceptile’s kit. While it does take some time to charge normally, this can be mitigated by exposure to intense sunlight, and when unleashed is a devastating attack that not many can withstand for long, being able to defeat Pokémon such as Spenser’s Claydol, or damage a Deoxys. 
• Agility: For if Sceptile needs that little bit of extra speed, it can use Agility to beef up its maneuverability even further. It’s used this to great effect in the past, even being able to keep pace with Red Lightning (a disguised Scizor), who had been able to outpace Pikachu fairly consistently beforehand.
• Leaf Storm: A very powerful Grass type move. Sceptile creates a large storm of leaves, surrounding the target and dealing big damage. This move does have recoil, and will lower its Special Attack stat.

Corphish

The Little Cup Beast

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, Steel 

A troublesome Pokémon that Ash had a few run-ins during his time on Dewford Island, Ash added Corphish to his team to serve as his Water-Type of the region. While an often insensitive and selfish Pokémon, Corphish more than made up for its social skills with its impressive strength and battle prowess. One thing to be said about Corphish was that it either didn’t know its own strength, or simply didn’t care, as even before being caught by Ash it was able to drag Ash and friends around on its own, or when it was caught, it would often accidentally send its trainer flying through handshakes just a bit too strong, or a misplaced Crabhammer attack. 

While notably being the only addition to Ash’s team in Hoenn to never evolve (excluding Torkoal who cannot), Corphish would prove itself just as powerful as the rest of the team very frequently, and be the key to victory in several fights against much bigger foes. While its tendency to pick fights with others could frequently get it and its Trainer into trouble, it often showed off that it had good reason to pick those fights, scoring impressive victories against many powerful foes, even being able to put up a good fight against its evolution in one episode. When Corphish is able to work with its trainer, it becomes much more reliable and powerful than its appearance may have you believe.

Moves Used:

• Bubble Beam: Corphish’s go to ranged option, where it shoots a stream of bubbles out of its pincers for some good damage at a distance. It can even shoot a stream out of both pincers if need be in order to attack at two angles or increase its damage output. While Corphish is more comfortable fighting up close, this attack has proven itself very capable at taking down powerful foes such as Flannery’s Torkoal or Anabel’s Alakazam.
• Crabhammer: While not actually a crab, this has been a favorite move for Corphish in order to dish out some powerful Water-Type damage. Getting in close and smacking an opponent with its prized pincers, Corphish has used this move to great effect in the past for some very heavy damage, having used it to fight off a Pinsir’s Guillotine or a Crawdaunt, or defeat foes such as Juan’s Sealeo or Tucker’s Arcanine. It’s also seen use as a means to send Ash himself flying, sometimes by accident, sometimes intentionally. 
• Vise Grip: Putting its pincers to good use, Corphish can use Vise Grip to clamp around foes for some straightforward and effective damage. Alternatively, it can use this to lock an opponent into staying up close and personal with Corphish, which is where it’s most comfortable in a fight.
• Harden: While not an attacking move, Corphish has made good use of the move Harden as well. It does as the name would imply, hardening its body to raise its defenses, which has helped it tank many attacks in the past and almost render it impervious while in use. It’s been able to fend off attacks from the likes of Brawly’s Hariyama through this, or even withstand a Guillotine from a Pinsir, which would normally be a one-hit KO.
• Metal Claw: A Steel type move, Corphish strikes with “steel claws”, usually by coating its claw in energy
• Aqua Jet: A Water type move, Corphish coats himself in water and charges into the opponent.

Torkoal

• Type: Fire
• STAB Targets: Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel
• Weaknesses: Water, Rock, Ground
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Fire, Grass, Steel, Ice, Fairy

Caught in the anime exclusive Valley of Steel, Ash added Torkoal to his party not long after seeing for himself the power the species had when used by the gym leader Flannery. A passionate battler and oftentimes prone to becoming overcome with emotion, Torkoal is a very spirited member of Ash’s team that is always willing to jump into the fray to prove itself. It’s often docile outside of battle, but shows off some impressive determination when in a battle a lot of the time, and while it isn’t often finding itself winning too many fights, it more often than not will not go down very easily. Most of the time, at least. It did manage to get defeated by Thunder Wave once. 

Torkoal boasts very impressive defenses, trading off speed for a large amount of bulk and weight that it uses to hold its ground in a battle, and try to overpower the enemy with a good few attacks. It can take a lot of punishment, even going so far as diving in the ocean it’d logically be weak to in order to seek out a Spoink’s pearl, and if it can find its openings, it can show off some power that is far more noteworthy than its win-loss record may lead you to believe. While it did lose in the end, it is notable for having put up an intense fight against one of Brandon’s Legendary Pokémon in Registeel, a feat not many could claim.

Moves Used:

• Flamethrower: The most common attack from Torkoal. Releasing a concentrated stream of fire from its mouth, Torkoal is able to deal strong damage at a distance and keep enemies at bay. A powerful move in its own right, Torkoal has used this to be able to score wins against foes as powerful as Tyson’s Shiftry. 
• Overheat: A step above Flamethrower, Torkoal’s Overheat is the strongest move in its arsenal. Releasing an even stronger stream of fire from its mouth, Torkoal uses this to devastate foes and score decisive victories. Though it does come at the cost of growing weaker every time used, so this should only be used sparingly. Torkoal used this to triumph over the Steelix harassing it in the Valley of Steel, and Flannery’s own Torkoal inspired Ash to stick with this move, seeing the power it had after being able to one shot Pikachu. 
• Iron Defense: Adding on to its already high defenses, Torkoal can use Iron Defense to take almost any attack head on by hiding inside of its shell. This does have the caveat of leaving Torkoal exposed from the underside, but this is still a difficult move to work around once in use. Torkoal’s Iron Defense has proven potent enough to shrug off some very powerful moves, such as a Scizor’s Hyper Beam, or Registeel’s Zap Cannon.
• Body Slam: Body Slam is Torkoal’s go to move for dealing with a foe up close and personal. Using its heavy body to its advantage, Torkoal will slam into a foe for some high damage. And while Torkoal is normally quite slow, its used its impressive jumping power to come in high from above or bounce off the wall to make this move much quicker than normal. In the past, Torkoal’s been able to one shot foes such as James’ Cacnea with this, or stagger Brandon’s Registeel several times.
• Heat Wave: A move learned by Torkoal while it was taking time away from Ash’s lineup, it adds another set of flames from Torkoal that it can launch out of its mouth to good effect. Covering a wider range than Flamethrower and not having the drawbacks of Overheat, it proved a reliable move in its single showing, putting in good work against Brandon’s Registeel and even mixing in with its Sandstorm.

Glalie

• Type: Ice
• STAB Targets: Flying, Ground, Grass, Dragon
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Rock, Fire, Steel
• Resistances and Immunities: Ice

Caught fairly late into the journey across Hoenn, Ash found this Pokémon as a mischievous Snorunt making its home around a Pokémon Center, where it took a liking to Ash. In its time as a Snorunt it had to struggle to play catch up to the rest of Ash’s team who had already become quite powerful in their own right, and struggled to master its moves beyond the occasional playful use of Icy Wind. Still though, Snorunt would try its best to prove itself a useful member of Ash’s team, and that wish would be granted once it evolved into Glalie. 

While it hadn’t been able to keep up as a Snorunt, upon evolution Glalie would become one of Ash’s most powerful Pokémon within his Hoenn tenure. Opting for relentless offense and using its Ice-Typing to its advantage by freezing opponents or the battlefield itself, Glalie was able to rack up a very impressive amount of victories in the Ever Grande conference, notably to the point of never directly losing a battle, only tying at worst. It has remained out of commission since then, but its track record in just that short time alone speaks volumes to how powerful Glalie truly is.

Moves Used:

• Icy Wind: The favorite move of the Pokémon as a Snorunt. Using this it lets out a steady stream of cold air that is frequently shown to be able to quickly and fully freeze people and Pokémon solid, be it for a gag or a battle. When used against other moves, it’s been shown to be able to create large pillars of ice alongside Juan’s Sealeo’s Blizzard, or clash with Clark’s Charizard using Heat Wave despite the type disadvantage.
• Double Team: Not so much an offensive move, but Glalie has used this as a means to trick and disorient foes at several points in the past, owing to its prankster personality as a Snorunt. Double Team allows it to duplicate itself to make foes unsure which is the real Glalie, allowing it to avoid attacks and set up its own damaging ones.
• Headbutt: Glalie’s method of attacking physically. Charging forward, Glalie uses this to cause heavy damage in a simple but effective attack. While simple though, Glalie has found creative means to add to its effectiveness, such as spinning to increase its speed, or sliding alongside ice and being knocked around pillars, or using it on the ground to force out opponents hiding underground. Through these and more it has been able to defeat foes such as Morrison’s Metang, or Clark’s Charizard. It even was able to defeat the Ghost-Type Misdreavus through this move in spite of the immunity it should have to Headbutt.
• Ice Beam: The most powerful move in Glalie’s lineup. While it struggled heavily to master this move as a Snorunt, once it evolved it quickly showed how powerful the move truly was under Glalie. Shooting a concentrated beam of ice, Glalie uses this for a highly damaging ranged attack that, like Icy Wind, can freeze people and Pokémon solid in a matter of moments. Or if need be, Glalie can use this on the battlefield itself, allowing it to move along more freely and make movement difficult for foes less accustomed to icy environments. This move was even powerful enough to one shot the likes of Tyson’s Sceptile in the past after a collision with the latter’s Solar Beam.

Aipom

• Type: Normal
• STAB Targets: lol
• Weaknesses: Fighting
• Resistances and Immunities: Immune to Ghost

Caught late into Ash’s quest to conquer the Battle Frontier, Aipom was an especially troublemaking Pokémon that Ash partially caught to keep it from causing mayhem for others. While finding a greater interest in the Pokémon Contests being done by May and Dawn, Aipom was always willing to come to Ash’s side if need be in a battle, using its rambunctious personality and penchant for mischief to mess with foes to make up for its lack of power and experience compared to the rest of Ash’s team. While ultimately Ash would trade Aipom away to Dawn, where it would later evolve into an Ambipom, the Pokémon still holds a lot of love for its original Trainer, even if it gave Ash a hard time at the beginning. Though even later it would develop a new interest in ping pong, never to be seen again.

Moves Used:

• Scratch: A standard starting attack, Aipom swipes at a foe with its hands for some quick and effective damage. 
• Swift: A favored attack by Aipom, it shoots out a series of star-like projectiles that are said to never miss, and do some noteworthy damage upon contact. Aipom in particular has used this to damage Ash’s Pikachu before it was caught.
• Focus Punch: A powerful surprise attack in Aipom’s lineup, it uses the hand on its tail to deal a powerful strike that could even damage Pikachu pretty reliably. 
• Double Team: Where Aipom’s habit of mischief comes most in handy. Creating duplicates of itself, Aipom is able to avoid attacks by confusing and disorienting a foe all while laughing in their faces. In the past, it has used this in conjunction with Swift to increase the effectiveness of the latter attack.
• Double Hit: A Normal type move, Aipom strikes so fast it appears to be hitting things simultaneously.

Sinnoh Sensations

Staraptor

• Type: Normal and Flying
• STAB Targets: Grass, Bug, Fighting 
• Weaknesses: Rock, Ice, and Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Grass and Bug for resistances, Ground and Ghost as immunities

Ash’s trusted Sinnoh scout, Staraptor is a lighter weight speedy attacker, using its aerial mobility and physical movepool to dash towards foes and hit them with strong hits boosted by momentum. It’s very agile in the air thanks to its fast flight speed, and that scout nickname is earned, as Staraptor was Ash’s go to scout for tracking any missing Team Rocket stolen Pokémon when needed (with Gliscor jumping in later for extra support).

Moves Used:

• Gust: A weak but versatile Flying type projectile attack, Staraptor can use Gust to damage enemies with strong winds. It’s also effective for pushing enemies back to range, creating space for Staraptor to ram at them.
• Quick Attack: A Normal move that grants a huge burst of speed, being an attack with priority that works for closing distance and landing a strong hit in an instant.
• Wing Attack: A basic Flying type attack for hitting foes with a charged straightened… wing attack, pretty straightforward. 
• Aerial Ace: An improvement to Wing Attack in every way, Aerial Ace’s heightened accuracy makes it a good no drawback attack to hit foes with a super charged up wing attack (not to be confused with, you know).
• Brave Bird: Staraptor’s strongest Flying move by a significant margin, Brave Bird coats their entire body in powerful energy. Letting them ram into foes with incredible strength and speed, a level of force that can shatter boulders with ease. It does have a drawback in dealing recoil damage after successful use however, giving it a cost in exchange for its supreme power.
• Close Combat: The move that singlehandedly made Staraptor everyone’s favorite Flying type for a DPP playthrough, Close Combat sticks out in its movepool as a super powerful Fighting type attack. At the cost of a slight defensive vulnerability post usage, Close Combat allows Staraptor to do sudden absurd damage right in the face of its opponent in an instant, not needing momentum like with its other flying type moves. This gives it a good up close surprise move, and coverage against normally resistant rock and ice type opponents.

Torterra

• Type: Grass and Ground
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, Ground (it did not learn any Ground attacks)
• Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Fire, and Ice (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Ground and Rock for resistances, Electric as an immunity

Wielding an island on its back and a to a fault strong sense of justice, Torterra is a strong Grass Pokémon that is reliable in battle. As a Turtwig, it used huge bursts of speed and strong agility to avoid attacks and land critical ones. While it can still manage huge bursts of speed even post evolution, its primary style shifted to fit its more bulky build to a more defensive punishing style. Shrugging off repeated attacks with its sheer bulk until it can catch its opponent when they get too greedy, locking them down and landing devastating heavy hits.

Moves Used:

• Tackle: A basic Normal type attack involving bumping into the enemy with aggressive force
• Razor Leaf: A standard Grass attack involving shooting sharp powerful leaves at the opponent, with spam allowing for camouflage and barriers.
• Synthesis: A tactical Grass move, healing Torterra for a significant amount of health in a short time. It heals Torterra extra when the sun is shining, though less if it’s blocked out by something like rain.
• Bite: A standard Dark type attack involving a sharp chomp onto the enemy, letting Torterra grab on to them, fling them around, and in general make the foe flinch.
• Energy Ball: A strong projectile attack, Torterra fires a sphere of extremely strong Grass type energy at the enemy to cause big damage. As an extra perk, were Torterra to ever eat its own Energy Ball (to be clear Ash found this out on complete accident), Torterra can gain a notable boost in power for a limited time due to the Energy Ball’s power flowing through its body.
• Rock Climb: Strengthening and extending the claws on its legs, Torterra can use the Normal type Rock Climb to gain a boost of speed and climb even the steepest of surfaces. The move can also cause a large hill of stone to emerge from the ground before Torterra collides into them, causing unbalance and vulnerability. 
• Leaf Storm: For a super powerful ranged Grass attack, Torterra can unleash a, well, Leaf Storm towards foes for massive damage.
• Frenzy Plant: The strongest Grass type attack, Frenzy Plant lets Torterra shoot out a flurry of roots to strike and crush foes with. The move’s power does result in a temporary cooldown after use though due to the strength required. 

Infernape

“THAT’S MY GOAT” -Blue Igneous

• Type: Fire and Fighting
• STAB Targets: Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel, Normal, Rock, and Dark
• Weaknesses: Water, Ground, Flying, and Psychic
• Resistances and Immunities: Grass, Bug, Ice, Steel, Fire, and Dark

From Paul’s ungrateful remarks to Ash beaming with pride towards him, Infernape stands as one of Ash’s most powerful pocket monsters period. With a strong fire and fighting typing, it is able to pose a significant threat at both close and long range. It has general skills like high quality senses, but also is excellent when it comes to manipulating fire. It can intercept opposing fire attacks to empower its own fire, or add its flames to ally fire moves to boost them instead. Infernape can even clash with opposing fire and absorb it into its own, both empowering its fire and removing the opponent’s attacking fire at the same time. Its pyrokinesis also extends to being able to direct its fire in specific directions, forming a both offensive and defensive counter shield to punish movement and defense while still maintaining offense. This technique can even be utilized while Infernape is using other moves like Flame Wheel, granting protection while still gaining ground.

What stands out most about Infernape however would be its special ability, Blaze, being even more special than the ability normally is. Due to Infernape’s latent power, its Blaze is actually supercharged to the extreme. Activating when Infernape is pressed against a wall and low on health, its special Blaze will amplify all stats instead of just fire power like Blaze normally does (though it does buff fire especially). While this power up initially suffered from spiking too much rage to be controllable, Ash’s bond with Infernape led to this issue eventually being permanently patched up. Letting Ash rely on Blaze for a massive mid fight power up when needed.

Moves Used:

• Ember: A basic Fire type projectile where Infernape shoots, well, embers at the opponent to damage them and potentially leave them with the Burn status effect. An effect causing periodic damage from being suddenly enveloped in flames every few moments.
• Flame Wheel: Infernape coats itself with fire to become a literal wheel of flame for this Fire type attack, ramming into foes at high speed with the chance to inflict Burn. Infernape is especially versatile with the move, being able to use it for temporary flight and protecting allies as they’re carried to safety.
• Scratch: A standard Normal attack involving a sharp swipe at close range foes.
• Dig: A Ground move involving digging into the ground, this can be used for defensive cover, evasion, or setting up a surprise attack from any direction. Infernape can also release other attacks while underground, which can lead to sudden fiery explosions.
• Fire Spin: A weaker Fire type projectile that makes up for the lack of power by enveloping and trapping the hit opponent in a circle of fire, prohibiting escape unless the fire wall is broken through.
• Flamethrower: Infernape’s go to projectile Fire attack, Flamethrower shoots out a massive and powerful beam of fire to damage and potentially burn foes.
• Mach Punch: Infernape’s central Fighting type attack, Mach Punch is a fast priority move. Moving quickly to deal a strong punch to an opponent before they can attack.
• Flare Blitz: Infernape’s outright strongest attack, Flare Blitz brings Fire power to the max for a nuclear collision attack. The potential Burn is a good bonus, while the recoil damage the move causes Infernape is a big problem, but what matters most is just how absurdly powerful this move can be. Making stadium sized booms when amplified by Blaze.
• Fire Punch: A more risk free close ranged Fire attack, Fire Punch envelops the users fist in flame for a strong up close smash. Added perk of potential Burn, as always.

Buizel

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, and Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass and Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, and Steel

A cocky battle-prone mischief maker, Buizel was traded to Ash by Dawn due to the idea that he fit his more battle focused ambitions. And man did that decision pay off, as Buizel served as an exquisite member of Ash’s team. Their main appeal is as a strong Water type attacker, but they have other stand out perks. Their signature floatation sack around their neck helps for aquatic mobility, but also can break grapples. Their true versatility lies in water manipulation however. They can empower their Water attacks with the water from other sources, and can manipulate water to make a mobile counter shield for both blocking hits as well as damaging anyone who makes contact (would it be with a physical attack or by having their projectile broken down and deflected). Buizel can also enhance its speed through its Swift Swim ability, where it gets faster in water heavy environments like rain storms. 

Moves Used:

• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes.
• Aqua Jet: By far Buizel’s most versatile move, its primary purpose is being a priority move that turns Buizel into a water shielded missile. Perfect for ramming into foes at high speed for good damage. Buizel has refined the move however in countless ways. He can involve a spinning move to empower it further, and can Aqua Jet into its own attacks like Water Pulse to empower them even further. More famously, Buizel is able to take ice attacks from either allies or enemies to make an Ice Aqua Jet, a frozen high speed battering ram.
• Sonic Boom: A Normal type projectile where Buizel shoots a well, sonic boom out of its twin tails.
• Water Pulse: A powerful Water type energy sphere, Buizel can slam it right into foes at close range or throw at them from a distance. The move hits hard and has a chance to inflict the Confusion status effect, resulting in occasional self-inflicted attacks for whoever is affected.
• Ice Punch: After training to the point of precisely striking a falling leaf, Buizel learned Ice Punch to hit opponents with a cold fist to the face. Ice Punch can spread ice onto foes to slow them down, and even has a chance to fully incase them in ice from head to toe with enough exposure.

Gliscor

• Type: Ground and Flying
• STAB Targets: Hey so wouldn’t it be funny if Ash’s never learned any Ground or Flying attacking moves?
• Weaknesses: Water and Ice (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Resistances to Fighting, Poison, and Bug (4x), and immunities to Ground and Electric

A lovable cry baby buddy (ironic considering the vampiric scorpion inspiration), Ash’s Gliscor is a star in his Sinnoh team when it comes to improving its talents across his journey. It’s adept at environmental analysis, as Gliscors and Gligars fire off sound waves to detect their surroundings, meaning they don’t need sight to move around. Gliscor also became an especially adept flyer after further training with a flying master, avoiding multiple projectiles while still homing in for an attack regardless.

Moves Used:

• X-Scissor: A Bug type attack featuring an X shaped double slash.
• Sand Attack: A Ground attack which involves shoveling sand at the opponent, reducing accuracy and well, like, do you want sand in your face? No? I didn’t think so.
• Steel Wing: By hardening its wings, Gliscor can use this Steel type attack to ram into an enemy with them.
• Screech: A Normal status move… that is instead a Normal ranged attack in the anime, which can disorient and blast away foes.
• Fire Fang: By lighting its fangs on fire, Gliscor can execute this Fire type biting move. Along with being good coverage, it also has a good chance to burn the enemy, causing them to periodically be engulfed in flames for nasty passive damage. This move also holds the title of Dreaded Drapion Death Dealer.
• Giga Impact: Gliscor’s strongest attack, this Normal type charge move involves putting all of Gliscor’s power into a mighty ramming blow. While the move’s power normally causes a recharge period, Gliscor knows about Giga Impact’s cooldown weakness, and thus is trained to distance itself with its aerial mobility to avoid this problem.
• Stone Edge: Gliscor can manifest this Rock type attacking move to form a flurry of sharp stones around itself. It can fire these omnidirectionally or precisely towards a single target. Using them for big damage or defensive purposes by blocking incoming charges and attacks.

Gible

“If Gible has no fans, I have died.” – Random Guy #7

• Type: Dragon and Ground
• STAB Targets: Dragon, Fire, Rock, Steel, and Electric
• Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, and Ice (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Fire, Rock, and Poison for resistances, Electric as an immunity

The trusty good boy of Ash’s Sinnoh squad, Gible makes up for his lack of brainpower in sheer power (no not the ability). Despite being a first stage Pokémon, Gible is surprisingly one of Ash’s strongest, keeping up in the Sinnoh League to the point where Mr. Hacker Tobias stated that its Draco Meteor would’ve KOd ANY of his team members besides Darkrai (reminder he pulls out a Latios right after Darkrai), with this only being because Darkrai dodged the attack. The only thing as impressive as this is Gible’s appetite, with it being able to eat ENTIRE MECHAS IN SECONDS without losing its appetite whatsoever.  

Moves Used:

• Dig: A tactical Ground type attack, Gible can use Dig to traverse the battlefield as well as climb through caves and hills. Letting it move in any direction it wants to land a surprise earth uppercut. 
• Dragon Pulse: A strong Dragon type projectile energy sphere that Gible can fire from its mouth for big sudden damage, requiring minimal charge time.
• Draco Meteor: Gible’s strongest attack by a far margin, Draco Meteor involves the internal build up of Dragon type energy. When this energy is released it’ll shoot up into the sky, unleashing a flurry of meteors across the battlefield. All capable of big damage, Arceus forbid you get hit by the entire ensemble. The drawback is Gible’s not having a 100% success rate, as sometimes it’ll only be able to release a single meteor at a time (though by the end of the series Gible barely ever messes up). As a not VS related aside, the move has genuine tracking hax towards Dawn’s Piplup. As in it’s an abused property used to find a lost Piplup when the main group had been separated. Like, how the heck?
• Rock Smash: A standard Fighting type attack, Gible punches with enough force to shatter rocks. He punched Darkrai in the face with this.

Unova Ultimates

Unfezant

• Type: Normal and Flying
• STAB Targets: Fighting, Bug, Grass
• Weaknesses: Rock, Electric, Ice
• Resistances and Immunities: Grass, Bug, Ground (Immunity), Ghost (immunity)

The first Pokémon Ash had caught in the Unova region. Unfezant is a strong flying type Pokémon, she’s able to move at high speeds in the air to both avoid attacks and land strong close ranged hits. Overall, a simple but capable bird Pokémon.

Moves Used:

• Gust: A simple ranged Flying type attack, Unfeazant shoots a gust of wind to push the opponent back.
• Quick Attack: Gaining a quick burst of speed, Unfeazant can ram into opponents with powerful force.
• Air Cutter: An improvement over Gust, Unfeazant releases a Flying type gust of wind strong enough to cut the air and reach greater range.
• Wing Attack: A standard Flying type attack involving a powered up wing strike onto the opponent.
• Aerial Ace: Unfeazant’s strongest Flying type move (she’s really that broke), Aerial Ace hits with strong built up force along with perfect accuracy. 

Oshawott

Look at my silly little guy – Aqua

• Type: Water
• STAB Targets: Fire, Ground, Rock
• Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Ice, Steel 

The loveable goofball and practical comedic relief of the team. After not being chosen as the starter for Trip, Oshawott instead of sitting in the lab forever, decided to follow Ash and Iris the entire time. After saving them from Team Rocket, twice, Oshawott would be the 2nd Pokémon Ash caught in Unova… after some pokeball shenanigans. 

Don’t let its playful demeanor fool you, because it would also fool him. Oshawott isn’t a complete joke however, being fast enough to block and reflect pikachu’s thunderbolts using his shell, cut apart team rocket’s mech and after some training, he became incredibly powerful and won against his many weaknesses. Though he obviously does still have some issues, being a hopeless romantic that loses his shell on occasions and gets quickly frustrated when things don’t go his way, but we LOVE him for it. He’s our cutie patootie!

Moves Used:

• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes. Though Oshowatt has used it in unique ways, such as using it to stop sandstorms or using it to launch himself upwards.
• Tackle: It’s Tackle… I don’t know what you want me to say, he rams into his opponent.
• Razor Shell: Oshawott’s very own signature move! Using the shell he has on his belly, Oshawott transforms it into a blade of sorts and slashes up whatever is in his way.
• Aqua Jet: A fast physical water attack that involves Oshawott enveloping himself with water and slamming onto his opponents. While at first Oshawott couldn’t control it due his fears of being submerged under water. After needing to save his friends from a terrible poison, Oshawott finally gained the courage to control this move fully and also swim underwater.
• Hydro Pump: An even more powerful blast of water, shooting straight out of his mouth.

Pignite

• Type: Fire and Fighting
• STAB Targets: Bug, Grass, Ice, Steel, Normal, Rock, Dark
• Weaknesses: Flying, Ground, Water, Psychic
• Resistances and Immunities: Bug, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, Dark

You should always love and take care of your Pokémon and treat them with respect, something Ash always believed in. Pignite’s previous trainer did not. Leaving the poor pocket monster abandoned as a Tepig through tying his nose up to a pool for days, Tepig was extremely malnourished and starving until Ash and co found him mistaking him for an Umbreon due to his dirty and slender body. After removing the knot on his snout and treating him well, the abandoned Tepig would quickly join Ash’s squad, helping him through thick and thin!

Though of course, it wouldn’t take long until Tepig would reunite with his old trainer; Shamus, thinking he’d be happy only to be disgusted by him, however Tepig would prove himself through the double battle between the two. It took some time but after an encouraging speech and sacrifice from Snivy, Tepig finally stopped caring about Shamus’ feelings for him and evolved into Pignite, defeating both of Shamus’ Pokémon and proving himself to be a worthy and powerful Pokémon. (Though to be honest, he should’ve evolved him fully)

Moves Used:

• Ember: A hot fire type move. Pignite takes a deep breath and fires a storm of embers from his snout, capable of burning his opponents.
• Tackle: A normal type move. Pignite tackles his opponent-
• Flame Charge: After stomping on the ground a few times, Pignite charges forwards covered in flames slamming onto the opponent. It helps that each time Pignite uses this move, he becomes faster.
• Flamethrower: A stronger version of Ember, Pignite takes a deep breath and unleashes a sea of fire from his snout. Also having the chance to burn his opponents.
• Fire Pledge: Pignite jumps upwards and slams his foot on the ground, releasing multiple geysers of flames that would surround his targets and burn them alive.
• Brick Break: A powerful karate chop that breaks barriers.

Snivy

• Type: Grass
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, and Ground
• Weaknesses: Fire, Bug, Poison, Ice, and Flying
• Resistances and Immunities: Ground, Water, Grass, and Electric

The sassiest girlboss of Ash’s mons. The grass starter that abandoned her very own trainer. Ash first found Snivy after she stole their food, after that Ash made it his mission to capture her, little did he know Snivy would show high level of competency and skill for a wild life Pokémon, even being stated to have very high level moves for a Snivy. It also didn’t help with Snivy’s most powerful technique; Attract, working on nearly all of Ash’s Pokémon, that however didn’t stop him. After Ash protecting his Pokémon and an even battle with Ash’s Pidove, Snivy finally gave in and became a permanent part of his team. Being the skillful sassy fighter with a ton of intelligence and power to back up her claims!

Moves Used:

• Attract: Snivy’s evil signature move and one meme’d about everywhere. She winks at her opponent and releases several heart shaped projectiles that circle around them, once they’re hit, the victim becomes completely infatuated with Snivy, not attacking nor moving away from her no matter how much punishment they receive. While you can dodge and destroy the hearts, they’ll hit you eventually. The only way to truly escape them is to be someone of the same sex as her, which is female.
• Vine Whip: A strong grass type move. Releasing slender whiplike vines from the back of her neck, Snivy uses these whips to smack her opponents senseless. Though she can also use them to grapple friends or foe, cut things apart, or swing around for movement or to dodge attacks.
• Leaf Storm: Another powerful grass type move, Snivy releases a literal storm of leaves that can badly damage her opponents and even lift them up in the air.
• Leaf Blade: Wow Snivy only offensive moves are just grass types. Snivy’s little tail glows as she uses it as a blade to cut her opponent.

Scraggy

• Type: Dark and Fighting
• STAB Targets: Ghost, Psychic, Rock, Normal, Ice, Steel, Dark
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Flying, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Rock, Ghost, Dark, Psychic (Immunity)

After helping to settle the conflict between Daniella and her kindergarteners who befriended a Trubbish, Ash received an egg from Daniella’s grandmother as a thank you gift. After a few episodes passed,  A young Scraggy would hatch from the egg and be the problematic baby brother of his Unova team due to his aggressive attitude. Even after just hatching, Scraggy constantly wanted to battle and prove himself to be strong, continuously picking fights with either Ash’s own Pokémon or random wild Pokémon, which caused many incidents to occur. But when he saw how much Ash and his Pokémon would do to help him, he slowly started to trust them more and his aggressive attitude diminished. Though of course he still wanted to become stronger and so did Axew, so the two ,basically brothers, trained together every following day, getting stronger and improving not only their moves but themselves as well. Learning little things such as using his pants to block physical and projectile attacks! And thanks to his ability Moxie, he will continue to get stronger the more he comes up against other opponents. (Another Pokémon Ash should’ve evolved ngl)

Moves Used:

• Leer: Scraggy makes a scary intimidating face that frightens his opponent, lowering their defense.
• Headbutt:Scraggy’s signature move and one he immediately used the moment he came out of that egg. Scraggy uses that big noggin of his to slam it onto his target.
• High Jump Kick: A move he learned from a Homeless Scrafty, Scraggy hits them with a very powerful knee attack that delivers brutal damage. However if Scraggy misses, the one receiving the brutal damage is him.
• Focus Blast: A powerful energetic blast that Scraggy releases after focusing hard enough. While the move is extremely powerful, just as in the game, the accuracy is GARBAGE.

Leavanny

“Ash should’ve used him a LOT more. He was goated” – Pas

• Type: Bug and Grass
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, Ground, Grass, Psychic, and Dark
• Weaknesses: Poison, Flying (4x), Fire, Bug, Ice, and Rock
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Ground, Water, Electric, and Grass

Essentially the mother figure of Ash’s Pokémon. Known for their incredible fashion sense, Ash got his Leavanny when he was still a Sewaddle, who wasn’t very fond of Ash. In fact he hated his guts, attacking him whenever he could. But after Ash protected him, he started to warm up on him and later even became part of his team. You wouldn’t expect it from a bug type (or someone from his Unova team at all) but Leavanny is quite powerful. 

In his first fight alone as a Sewaddle, he endured several powerful moves that took down Ash’s other Pokémons and still came out as the victor, which would continue after evolving. Despite his weirdly tanky nature, his fighting style plays more on dodging attacks swift and elegant and waiting for an opening to counterattack, then taking them head on. Even if Leavanny gets hurt however, they’ll only continue on stronger thanks to his Swarm ability. Making bug type moves much more powerful, So powerful his string shot was able to bind Stephan’s Sawk even after 2 bulk ups. A little fun fact the leaves Leavanny and Sewaddle use apparently hold healing effects.

He’s also a male wife.

Moves Used:

• Razor Leaf: A sharp grass type move. Leavanny shoots out several… “razor leaves” from their head, painfully cutting their opponent. These leaves are sharp enough to even cut up moves like string shot.
• String Shot: A weirdly versatile bug type move in the anime. As a sewaddle, he usually used the move stringshot to swing around the place like Spider-Man, drop kick people and/or dodge attacks. Though obviously that’s not all. Leavanny can use string shot to intertwine projectiles, send them back to the user or to simply wrap their victim up in tight strings that at times are nearly unbreakable and then either attack them with another move or swing them around like a neatly packed toy. This move also lowers the speed of the ones struck by it and sometimes even limits their movement entirely. Besides fighting there were other ways Leavanny used string shot, such as making and designing clothes, or using it as threads so that the gang can find a way out of dark caves. 
• Bug Bite: munch munch munch
• Tackle: A simple normal move as ever, Leavanny charges towards their opponent and slams their body at them.
• Energy Ball: A powerful grass move where Leavanny shoots out a green ball of energy that has a small chance to lower the special defense of its victims.
• X-Scissor: An X marks its spot. A strong bug type move that has the user make an X shape double slash.

Palpitoad

• Types: Water and Ground
• STAB Targets: Ground, Rock, Fire, Poison, Electric, Steel
• Weaknesses: Grass (x4)
• Resistances and Immunities: Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire, Electric (Immunity)

Probably the most out there Pokémon Ash had ever caught. A very mischievous frog thing. Before being caught by Ash, he was the leader of a bunch of wild Tympoles and a Stunfisk that Cilan would later catch in the same episode. He would cohort his soldiers to stop Ash and Oshawott from getting the antidote. After a long battle between Palpitoad’s forces, they were finally able to get the plants and even capture Palpitoad himself in the meantime. After that Palpitoad would become a part of the Unova team. Even with this problematic start, Ash and Palpitoad would quickly synchronise very well with each other and score a surprising amount of wins for Ash.

Moves Used:

• Mud Shot: Using either his tongue or vomiting it out, either way, Palpitoad launches a bunch of Mud towards his opponent that would slow them down and sometimes even temporarily blind them.
• Hydro Pump: Palpitoad would vomit a large powerful beam of water from his mouth towards his target. This move is strong enough to one shot high level Pokémon!
• Supersonic: Palpitoad releases an ear piercing sonic wave which can cause the target to also get confused. He can also use this move to break out of Pokémon’s grips and even break ice structures.
• Sludge Wave: Instead of mud, Palpitoad vomits out toxic sludge that has a chance to inflict deadly poison on the target… nasty.

Boldore

“Unironically my GOAT” – EpicLinkSam

• Type: Rock
• STAB Targets: Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Water, Grass, Steel
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Fire

After helping a Roggenrola rescue their friends, the excitable rock joined Ash’s Party. Its super sensitive hearing has helped the team out in terms of tracking things down. In battle it’s no slouch either, being a tough Pokémon able to take many heavy hits before dishing them back, where it proved its worth in the Gym battle with Clay’s Excadrill and evolved into Boldore. With its Sturdy ability, it’ll never go down in a single hit and be sure to deal out the hurt.

He also acts like a big rock puppy at times.

Moves Used:

• Sandstorm: Rock Type. Whips up a sandstorm, dealing chip damage to opponents that aren’t Rock, Ground or Steel Type, while also increasing the special defense of Rock type Pokémon
• Stone Edge: Rock Type. Shoots powerful stones with a high critical hit ratio
• Flash Cannon: Steel Type. Blasts a beam of steel energy that can lower the special defense of opponents
• Rock Blast: Rock Type. Fires several fast rocks (2-5) in succession 
• Rock Smash: Fighting Type. Delivers a powerful smash that can lower defense

Krookodile

• Type: Ground and Dark
• STAB Targets: Poison, Rock, Fire, Electric, Steel, Ghost, Psychic
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Bug, Grass, Water, Ice, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Poison, Rock, Ghost, Dark, Electric (Immunity), Psychic (Immunity)

The coolest of the bunch and Ash’s Ace of the Unova region (though his only competitor is a Leavanny-). Ash and Krookodile didn’t have the best start together, first meeting him as a Sandile who seemed to have been terrorizing the SPA. However the truth was that the Sandile was the leader of a bunch of other Sandiles, who all tried to save not only the other Pokémon but also the humans at the mud spa from burning hot geysers! However with the help of Ash and Iris, they were able to save everyone and even turn the mud spa into a regular one. After this encounter The cool leader of the Sandiles would grow massive respect for Ash and Pikachu, so he’d follow them and challenge them for fights whenever he can. The three of them became hotheaded rivals that would also help each other when in need, which Ash later on had Krookodile join his team forever!

Krookodile is no joke, being the leader of an entire group of Pokémon and having a hunger for battle, this beast can take and dish out attacks like it’s nothing. Having defeated powerful Pokémon such as Iris’ Dragonite, Brycen’s Beartic and Stephan’s Sawk. Though it has 1 weakness, he becomes extremely timid the second he loses his iconic sunglasses. Me too king… me too.

Moves Used:

• Dig: Krookodile digs into the ground before coming back out later and smacking the opponent from underneath! This move is also usually used to quickly dodge attacks.
• Bite: Krookodile uses his massive JAW to take a big chomp out of his opponent, painful and deadly!
• Stone Edge: Krookodile releases a bunch of sharp rocks from his body and shoots them out as fast projectiles. However Krookodile can do more with Stone Edge, if he ever needs too, he can pick up the rocks and use them as sharp daggers to knock out his opponents in one hit.
• Crunch: Basically a more powerful and brutal version of Bite.
• Dragon Claw: A powerful dragon type move, Krookodile sharp claws glow bright, as he slashes his opponents with the power of a dragon.
• Aerial Ace: The weirdest move Krookodile learned, Krookodile suddenly turns airborne and takes the fight to the sky! Flying in to strike his enemies with a move that won’t miss.

Kalos Killers

Greninja

“My GOAT since day one” – Bananabot24

• Type: Water and Dark
• STAB Targets: Ground, Rock, Fire (He doesn’t know any Dark type moves)
• Weaknesses: Grass, Fighting, Fairy, Electric
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Fire, Steel, Ice, Ghost, Psychic, Dark

You know him, you love him, you’re lame if you hate him, this water ninja frog is one of the most hype inducing and coolest members of Ash’s team and absolutely his ace during the XYZ arc. Many trainers tried to control him as a Froakie but all failed…except for Ash. They quickly formed a bond and after he evolved into Greninja proper, their powerful bond is especially apparent, as they are able to work together to have Greninja transform into the extremely powerful Ash-Greninja (more on that later). He’s one of the most popular Pokémon ever for damn good reason and he even got into Smash Bros! 

As one would expect, Greninja is of course fast but also very powerful, able to keep up with the likes of other powerful Megas like Charizard, Gyarados and Sceptile. He’s also tough too, able to take super effective hits from Thunderbolt and Leaf Storm. He would later take on the responsibility of protecting Kalos with Zygarde’s request, thus leaving Ash’s party for a while but when Ash needs him, you know he’ll come, ready to save the day and protect his friends. 

Moves Used:

• Water Pulse: Mainly used as a Froakie, he’ll form a water orb in his palm before firing at his opponents. It’s strong enough to shatter rock and he can launch multiple at once. Huh, this sorta reminds me of a certain orange ninja actually…
• Bubble: Fires a bunch of bubbles from his mouth. Nothing too special.
• Pound: Again, mainly used as a Froakie, his hand glows and he smacks his opponent pretty hard.
• Double Team: KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU– I mean, Greninja can summon numerous illusionary clones of himself to throw his opponents off and avoid attacks. The clones aren’t just for show though as Ash can command all of them to do attacks of their own and Greninja has even absorbed his other clones to empower his water shuriken to a ridiculous size. 
• Cut: While this move is garbage in the actual Pokémon games, it’s way cooler in the anime as he’ll form energy blades from his hands to slash at his opponents. It’s been able to slice through a massive vine with ease and Avalugg’s Stone Edge and even energy attacks like Charizard’s Flamethrower and Gardevoir’s shadow ball. As Ash-Greninja, the laser blades transform into kunai of pressurized water. 
• Aerial Ace: Greninja’s limbs will glow (likely a replacement for Pound) and he’ll strike at his opponents with great force with a flying type move that’s incredibly fast. It’s been used to defeat a Mega Abomasnow and destroy ice. 
• Water Shuriken: Greninja’s signature move that’s been stated to be compressed water and able to split metal in two. He’s been able to push back a large truck with several water shuriken and he’s expertly used the smokescreen it creates as cover. As Ash-Greninja though, he’s able to create an even more powerful variant that grows to a ridiculous size and even an orange colored variant that creates a massive explosion that covers the whole stadium and holy shit does IT LOOKS SO COOL.

Talonflame

• Type: Fire and Flying
• STAB Targets: Bug, Grass, Ice, Steel, Fighting
• Weaknesses: Water, Electric, Rock (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Bug, Steel, Fairy, Fire, Grass, Ground (Immunity)

The last of Ash’s regional bird additions, and perhaps the spiciest (get it cuz it’s a fire type), Talonflame! They started humble like Ash’s other top birds, being a capable flyer for scouting and fast attacks. What sets this bird apart though is, as stated, its spicy half Fire typing. Especially with its unique ability in Flame Body, which both naturally raises its body heat to warm allies and counter freezing traps, but also threatens to apply the Burn status condition to any opposing pocket monsters who get too close.

Moves Used:

• Double Team: A standard Normal type utility move, Talonflame produces several fake clones to misdirect opponents and hide its true location amongst the horde.
• Peck: A basic Flying type attack, involving a quick painful beak poke against the opponent.
• Razor Wind: A ranged Flying type attack useful for cutting foes with sharp gusts.
• Steel Wing: A good Steel type coverage move, Talonflame reinforces its wings with a Steel like coating to slam them against foes.
• Flame Charge: Talonflame’s signature Fire type attack, Flame Charge! Usage of this move allows for fiery ram attacks, but also each use will boost Talonflame’s speed for the rest of battle. There is no limit to this increase, allowing for gigantic boosts in movement speed over the course of a fight. The fire coating can also be used defensively to shield itself and boarding allies.
• Brave Bird: Talonflame’s strongest attack, a full power Flying type charge right into the opponent for massive damage. The tradeoff is recoil damage after hitting the opponent, but the price is more than worth it for the sheer power.

Hawlucha

• Type: Fighting and Flying
• STAB Targets: Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark, Grass, Bug, Fighting
• Weaknesses: Flying, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Bug, Grass, Dark, Ground (Immunity)

AND IN THIS CORNER, STANDING AT 2’07 AND CHAMPIONING THE FOREST! IT’S HAWLUCHA! After earning its spot as forest champion, Ash encountered during a fight with a thieving Ursaring, where Ash saved its life, helped him master its signature Flying Press, and helped clear up bad air with the previous forest champion, all before joining Ash’s team after a battle. His love of theatrics and dedicated passion for battle makes him a standout fighter among Ash’s collection of monsters.

Moves Used:

• Karate Chop: A Fighting type move, Hawlucha unleashes a vicious karate chop against the opponent.
• High Jump Kick: A Fighting type move, Hawlucha leaps forward to strike opponents with his knee. If this attack misses, Hawlucha will keep going until he hits something, hurting him in the process.
• Flying Press: Hawlucha’s signature move, this attack acts as both a Flying and Fighting type move. Hawclucha leaps high into the air and dives into the opponent with his full body. Hawlucha even spins for proper formation.
• X-Scissor: A Bug type move, Hawlucha strikes the opponent with his arms in an X formation.

Goodra

• Type: Dragon
• STAB Targets: Dragon
• Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Fire, Grass, Water, Electric

Ash’s first ever Pseudo Legendary Pokémon (until Dragonite stole that one claim to fame), Goodra was initially a weak scaredy cat of a Goomy whose home pastures were wrecked. Leading it to be taken in by Ash, and quickly evolved into a powerful Dragon type Pokémon. Goodra excels at range, and can take a large plethora of hits thanks to its high stats. Additionally, its Hydration Ability will cure it of any and all status effects when exposed to rain. Goodra’s home would eventually be saved, leading to it staying there. However it is more than willing to reunite and battle with Ash whenever visited, which is nice considering Ash always knows where to find it unlike other Pokémon he’s parted ways with.

Moves Used:

• Rain Dance: A Water type setup move that creates a rain storm wherever Goodra is fighting. This even works indoors, and is perfect for setting up Goodra’s Hydration ability.
• Bide: By charging up, Goodra can absorb the incoming force of all opposing attacks, before returning that force as a mighty blast of Normal type energy.
• Dragon Breath: Goodra releases a Dragon type energy breath, dealing damage with a chance to paralyze the damaged foe.
• Dragon Pulse: A stronger Dragon type attack, where Goodra shoots an even more powerful beam to maximize damage.
• Ice Beam: A versatile coverage move, this Ice type attack fires a beam of pure cryogenic energy. Occasionally freezing and immobilizing foes, along with dealing some chilling damage.

Noivern

• Type: Flying and Dragon
• STAB Targets: Dragon, Grass, Bug, Fighting
• Weaknesses: Dragon Fairy, Rock, Ice (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass, Ground (Immunity)

One day, Ash’s Hawlucha found an egg in the wild while training. That egg hatched into a tiny little Noibat, who joined Ash’s team. He had a habit of destroying peoples’ ears when crying and struggling to fly. Eventually, Noibat evolved into the powerful Noivern after a chance encounter with the Legendary Zapdos. Since then, Noivern has been a reliable battler on Ash’s roster, using its powerful attacks and echolocation abilities to help the team. 

Moves Used:

• Supersonic: A Normal type move, Noivern uses sonic waves to disorient opponents.
• Tackle: A Normal type move, Noivern charges into the opponent with its body for good damage.
• Acrobatics: A Flying type move, Noivern uses its aerial mobility to strike opponents.
• Boomburst: A Normal type move, Noivern unleashes powerful sonic waves to strike opponents in a wide area. Notably bypassing defensive options like fake Substitute clones.
• Dragon Claw: A Dragon type move, Noivern forms massive energy claws to slash at opponents.

Alola Aces

Rowlet

Shaped like a friend

• Type: Grass and Flying
• STAB Targets: Water, Rock, Ground, Fighting, Grass, Bug
• Weaknesses: Fire, Poison, Flying, Bug, Ice (4x), Rock
• Resistances and Immunities: Resistances to Fighting, Water, and Grass (¼×), Immune to Ground

This Rowlet was special; he was actually born into a flock of Pikipek, led by a Toucannon and Trumbeak. He’s rather lazy and likes to take naps, but he clutches in crucial moments. In fact, he likes taking naps in Ash’s backpack! When it comes to fights, Rowlet’s pretty good. He even defeated Hau’s fully evolved Decidueye and Kukui’s Braviary with Brave Bird in the Alola League, and earlier on it was also able to defeat Hala’s Crabrawler. Rowlet may be small, but he packs a punch!

Moves Used:

• Leafage: A Grass-type move that deals damage by sending a gust of leaves at opponents. In particular, Rowlet’s Leafage is strong enough to lift Lillie and Alolan Vulpix to safety.
• Tackle: A Normal-type move where Rowlet lunges at the enemy to deal damage. Rowlet was able to cancel out an enemy’s Dragon Rush attack with it.
• Peck: A Flying-type move where Rowlet jabs a target with his sharply pointed beak.
• Razor Leaf: A Grass-type move that deals damage via sharp-edged leaves that can cut through magic.
• Seed Bomb: A Grass-type move that deals damage by slamming a barrage of hard-shelled seeds down on a target. Rowlet learns this move after training with Toucannon. 
• Brave Bird: One of Rowlet’s strongest moves. It’s a Flying-type move that deals massive damage in exchange for dealing 33% recoil damage. It’s the same move that defeated Kukui’s Braviary and Hau’s Decidueye.
• Feather Dance: A Flying-type move that sharply lowers the Attack stat of the target. Notably, Rowlet was able to use this move to weaken Hau’s Decidueye, as well as put up a distraction to it which allowed it to dupe Decidueye and dodge its attack.
• “Substitute”: Not actually the proper Substitute move, but Ash’s Rowlet can basically mimic the idea of Substitute when it wore its “Decidueye cloak” that the flock of Pikipek and its leading Trumbeak and Toucannon made for him.
• Breakneck Blitz: A powerful Normal-type Z-Move where the user builds up momentum and crashes into the target at full speed. Can only be used with the Normalium Z and if the user knows a damaging Normal-Type move.
• Bloom Doom: A powerful Grass-type Z-Move where the user collects energy from plants and attacks the target with full force. Can only be used with the Grassium Z and if the user knows a damaging Grass-Type move.

Lycanroc

• Type: Rock
• STAB Targets: Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Water, Grass, Steel
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Fire 

Initially a Rockruff who hung around Kukui’s house, Lycanroc eventually befriended and accepted Ash as his Trainer. This happened after Ash and Kukui followed Rockruff for the night, leading them to Clawmark Hill where Rockruff was fighting other Wild Pokémon. It then evolved into Lycanroc Dusk form after a trial with Tapu Lele. Initially, Lycanroc was prone to lashing out and becoming so aggressive that it would even attack Ash and his other Pokémon. Ash was eventually able to control this side of Lycanroc, who can use its rage-fueled power while still following commands. This newfound control led to Lycanroc being the Pokémon that won him his first proper Pokémon League, defeating Gladion’s Lycanroc Midnight form in a mirror match.

Moves Used:

• Tackle: A Normal-type move where Lycanroc lunges at an opponent. It was strong enough to damage Ash when it and Litten tackled him at the same time.
• Bite: A Dark-type move that has Lycanroc bite down on a target to deal damage. Its strong enough to bite through rocks made from a fellow Lycanroc’s Stone Edge.
• Rock Throw: A Rock-type move that launches large rocks at a target. This was the move Ash helped it master as a Rockruff, and it was crucial in eventually defeating a wild Magmar.
• Accelerock: A Rock-type move where Lycanroc surrounds itself in a white aura and then slams itself into the opponent at a high speed. Upon contact, small rocks sometimes burst out of the point of impact.
• Stone Edge: A Rock-type move where Lycanroc slams its paws onto the ground to summon multiple light blue stones that follow the target. Notably, this move has an improvised variant in SM141, where Lycanroc grabs a shard of Stone Edge shattered by an opponent in its mouth to use as a makeshift weapon.
• Breakneck Blitz: A powerful Normal-type Z-Move where the user builds up momentum and crashes into the target at full speed. Can only be used with the Normalium Z and if the user knows a damaging Normal-Type move.
• Continental Crush: A powerful Rock-type Z-Move where the user hurls a huge rock mountain onto the target with full force. Can only be used with the Rockium Z and if the user knows a damaging Rock-Type move.
• Splintered Stormshards: Lycanroc’s Signature Z-Move. Lycanroc breaks the ground and causes shards of rocks to fly upwards. Then, Lycanroc, jumps up as well and then launches these rock shards at enemies. Can only be used with the Lycanium Z and if Lycanroc knows Stone Edge.

Incineroar 

Wolfe Glick’s favorite Pokémon

• Type: Fire and Dark
• STAB Targets: Grass, Ice, Steel, Bug, Psychic, Ghost
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Rock, Water
• Resistances and Immunities: Ghost, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, Dark. Immune to Psychic.

Ash’s Incineroar had a very harrowing start. As a Litten, he started out as a lone Wild Pokémon who stole food from the local market just to survive. But it wasn’t just for himself; Litten was giving the food to his sickly friend, an old Stoutland. Eventually however, Stoutland “disappeared”, and Ash decided that he would take care of Litten, after he and Litten fought. He then met Masked Royal’s Incineroar and gained admiration for him. After a bout with him, Litten evolved into Torracat, managing to break free from Kukui’s Incineroar’s grip. He then evolved again into Incineroar after defeating Kukui’s Incineroar during the Exhibition Match of the Alola League.

No he doesn’t have Intimidate, Flare Blitz, Fake Out, Knock Off and Parting Shot with a Careful Nature and holding the Safety Goggles.

Moves Used:

• Ember: A basic Fire-type move that deals damage by breathing out a ball of fire at the target.
• Fury Swipes: A Normal-type move where Incineroar slashes at an opponent anywhere between 2 to 5 times in quick succession.
• Slash: A Normal-type move that’s basically a more powerful version of Scratch.
• Fire Fang: A Fire-type move where Incineroar coats his fangs with fire, and then bites the enemy.
• Scratch: A Normal-type move where Incineroar scratches a target with his sharp claws.
• Flame Charge: A Fire-type move where Incineroar coats himself in flames, then lunges at the enemy. If it connects, it can also boost his Speed.
• Revenge: A Dark-type move that surrounds Incineroar’s body in an orange flame. After getting hit by an opponent’s attack, the opponent is hit with a massive burst of flames.
• Fire Blast: A powerful Fire-type move where Incineroar creates a large ball of red-orange fire in front of its belt. It then punches the ball, sending a massive blast of fire at the target.
• Blast Torracat: When it was a Torracat, it absorbed Kukui’s Incineroar’s Blast Burn. This special move allowed Torracat to take the absorbed flames and launch them back. However, too much power can and has proved too taxing for Torracat to launch back.
• Darkest Lariat: Incineroar’s Signature move. It’s a Dark-type move where Incineroar coats his hands on fire and begins spinning rapidly while slamming into the opponent with its arms still outstretched.
• Breakneck Blitz: A powerful Normal-type Z-Move where the user builds up momentum and crashes into the target at full speed. Can only be used with the Normalium Z and if the user knows a damaging Normal-Type move.
• Inferno Overdrive: A powerful Fire-type Z-Move where the user launches an absolutely enormous ball of fire that causes a substantial explosion upon contact. Can only be used with the Firium Z and if the user knows a damaging Fire-Type move.

Nebby (Solgaleo)

• Type: Psychic and Steel
• STAB Targets: Rock, Ice, Fairy, Poison, Fighting
• Weaknesses: Ground, Ghost, Dark, Fire
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Flying, Rock, Steel, Grass, Psychic (¼×), Ice, Dragon, Fairy. Immune to Poison.

Nebby started out as a Cosmog, appearing in Ash’s dream where it was created by Solgaleo and Lunala. Tapu Koko then led Ash to where it was sleeping, and he decided to take care of it. Lillie was the one to give it the nickname of Nebby. It evolved into Cosmoem after an incident with Faba and the opening of an Ultra Wormhole, where it was sleeping the whole time. It finally evolved into Solgaleo when it was brought to the Altar of the Sunne, where the four Tapus gave their energy to it to evolve it. Solgaleo was crucial in the fight against Necrozma, and while he was assimilated by it, it was eventually freed with all of Alola giving their energy to where Necrozma wouldn’t need Solgaleo’s power anymore. Nebby returned one more time before Ash left Alola, taking him on a trip through Ultra Space.

Moves Used:

• Teleport: A Psychic-type move that allows the user to escape a battle, or teleport to the last visited Pokémon Center. As a Cosmog, Teleport could be used on itself or to transport others by holding them.
• Supersonic: A Normal-type move that allows the user to emit a sound wave that confuses targets.
• Sunsteel Strike: Solgaleo’s signature move. It’s a powerful Steel-type move that hits with the force of a meteor, and can be used on enemies regardless of their Abilities.
• Flash Cannon: A Steel-type move that allows the user to release a blast of light. When it connects, it has a chance to lower the target’s Sp. Def stat. 
• Searing Sunraze Smash: Solgaleo’s signature Z-Move. Solgaleo changes into its Radiant Sun form and either spins around and slams into an enemy, and can be used to open Ultra Wormholes. It can only be used with the Solganium Z and if Solgaleo knows Sunsteel Strike.

Naganadel

• Type: Poison and Dragon
• STAB Targets: Grass, Fairy, Dragon
• Weaknesses: Ground, Psychic, Ice, Dragon
• Resistances and Immunities: Fighting, Poison, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass (¼×), Electric

Ash’s Naganadel’s has had a long history, starting out as a Poipole who travelled to Ash’s world for one purpose; to help restore the light in its home planet. In Poipole’s world, Necrozma has been providing life and light for their planet until it protected the world from an asteroid which drained all its powers. Poipole then met Ash and Pikachu, and was enamored by Pikachu! Turns out this was a clue; Pikachu’s Thunderbolt was light and energy, just what their world needed! Poipole left Ash after its mission was complete, but returned again by opening an Ultra Wormhole to fight off Guzzlord in the Alola League and join Ash! And even better, it evolved in its time away, learning Thunderbolt and becoming one of Ash’s strongest partners.

Moves Used:

• Toxic: A Poison-type move that allows the user to badly poison a target. Badly poisoned as a status effect is particularly nasty, as it increases the poison damage the target takes after every turn.
• Fury Attack: A Normal-type move where Naganadel’s needle glows white, and then repeatedly jabs the opponent with it.
• Thunderbolt: As a Poipole, they were very interested and fascinated by Pikachu’s power. By the time Poipole came back and evolved off-screen into Naganadel, it had learned Thunderbolt on its own, likely inspired by Pikachu.
• X-Scissor: A Bug-type move that deals damage and has a high critical rate. Naganadel’s stinger glows green, and then they jab the target with it.
• Sludge Bomb: A Poison-type move that has a chance to Poison the target. When used, Naganadel releases multiple brown globs of sludge from its stinger at the opponent.
• Dragon Pulse: A Dragon-type move where Naganadel fires a large multicolored dragon-shaped beam of energy from its stinger.
• Gigavolt Havoc: A powerful Electric-type Z-Move where the user hits the target with a powerful electric current. Can only be used with the Electrium Z and if the user knows a damaging Electric-Type move.

Melmetal

• Type: Steel
• STAB Targets: Rock, Ice, Fairy
• Weaknesses: Fire, Ground, Fighting
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Flying, Rock, Bug, Steel, Grass, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Fairy. Immune to Poison

Powerful and wonderful Pokémon often come in small packages; and Melmetal is definitely one of them. Starting out as the tiny Meltan, Ash happened to come across a bunch of them one day while studying in Alola’s Pokémon School. Even in its pre-evolved form, they proved to be pretty strong and could eat through metal and high-tech equipment. Meltan finally evolved into Melmetal during the Alola Pokémon League, where Ash’s Meltan summoned all its friends, and they fused together into Melmetal!

Moves Used:

• Flash Cannon: A Steel-type move that allows the user to release a blast of light. When it connects, it has a chance to lower the target’s Sp. Def stat. A group of Meltan using Flash Cannon all at once was able to cause a massive explosion that could be seen from above a forest.
• Thunderbolt: The very same move Pikachu loves to spam. Back when it was a Meltan, it can also use Thunderbolt in conjunction with Pikachu.
• Headbutt: A Normal-type move where Melmetal slams its hex nut-shaped head onto a target to deal damage.
• Harden: A Normal-type move that increases Melmetal’s defense. Back when it was a Meltan, it used this move to no-sell an attack from a Druddigon.
• Double Iron Bash: Melmetal’s signature move. It uses the hex nut in its chest as an axis to spin, striking the target with its arms twice in a row and also having a chance to cause the target to flinch. During the Alola League, Melmetal was able to use this move defensively by spinning around and deflecting attacks.

World Champions

Dragonite

• Type: Dragon and Flying
• STAB Targets: Dragon, Grass, Bug, Fighting
• Weaknesses: Rock, Dragon, Fairy, Ice (4x)
• Resistances and Immunities: Water, Grass, Fire, Fighting, Bug, Ground (Immunity)

The Kantonian Dragon was first encountered as a Dragonair, after Ash rescued them from drowning. Though they struggled to learn how to fly, they eventually did with Ash’s help. After an encounter with Team Rocket, they evolved to save Ash from falling and joined Ash’s team. They’re a really friendly fellow, extremely loyal to Ash and love to fly. It even loves giving out hugs (aw). Dragonite can be considered an all rounder that can fly, making them a powerful threat. It loves using all sorts of dragon attacks to boost its power and can leave you blown away with it’s wind.

Moves Used:

• Dragon Dance: Dragonite can do a dance to boost their physical capabilities. With the boosted speed, they can create shockwaves with their flight and make it easier to dodge a Flygon’s attacks. With the power boost, it essentially one shot a Mega Lucario.
• Dragon Claw: Dragonite’s claws become empowered with energy, gaining more draconic power to slash foes with. It has clashed evenly with a Mienshao with it, creating shockwaves across the arena.
• Hurricane: Here they are, ready to rock you like a hurricane as it flaps his wings to create powerful wind. It has kept Iris and her own Dragonite on the backfoot and clashed with their ice beam. They have affected a whole stadium with it and revealed a Flygon hiding in a sandstorm.
• Hyper Beam: Dragonite fires a huge powerful beam from their mouth and although it takes the turn after to recharge, it’s usually worth the price as it’ll KO their opponent and- wait what do you mean Dragonite has always failed to use it? Uhh…
• Draco Meteor: Dragonite’s actual best move is likely where they summon a huge storm of draconic meteors to rain down on their opponent, potentially overwhelming their opponent. It has a huge AOE, able to fill an entire field with it, able to damage a Flygon hiding in a sandstorm.

Gengar

• Type: Ghost and Poison
• STAB Targets: Ghost, Psychic, Grass, Fairy
• Weaknesses: Ground, Ghost, Psychic, Dark
• Resistances and Immunities: Poison, Bug, Grass, Fairy, Normal (Immunity), Fighting (Immunity)

Probably the most iconic ghost Pokémon in the series, Gengar originally belonged to a trainer that told him to wait at an old mansion. In reality, they did it because they thought that Gengar was giving him bad luck, thus abandoning the poor ghost Pokémon. While Gengar was upset and hurt finding out about this, he found another ray of light in Ash, who rescued him from the shadows and the two quickly became friends. They even helped unlock his Gigantamax form for him (more on that later).

Gengar is of course a ghost Pokémon that’s fast and powerful, but isn’t exactly the tankiest. He makes up for it with a variety of moves that are powerful and hard to predict. He can also phase through attacks, into a wall and turn invisible. According to the Dex, “It is said that the temperature of a room Gengar lurks in sinks by 5 degrees Celsius.” It also has jumped into Ash’s shadow to retrieve a spirit and he apparently does legitimately give someone bad luck by hiding in their shadow. It’s also confirmed to have the ability “Cursed Body” that can temporarily stop someone from using their attacks if they strike Gengar.

Moves Used:

• Night Shade: Gengar can shoot two ghost energy eye beams to strike his opponents. It clashed with another Night Shade with ease from two ghost Pokémon at once and overpowered them.
• Shadow Ball: One of his signatures, Gengar can fire a ball of shadow energy at his opponents from his hands. It has blasted through chunks of rubble from Grimmsnarl with ease to KO it and has been shown to rapidly fire it.
• Psychic: Gengar has learned the power of telekinesis that he can attack his foes with. They often stop in their tracks, can lift a large rock with it and destroy Spiritomb’s Shadow Ball. It’s a versatile move, able to control several objects to resemble monsters and even grab a lost spirit.
• Ice Punch: Gengar can incase his fist in icy energy to punch his foes. He’s frozen a poor Yamper solid with this attack.
• Dazzling Gleam: With this fairy type move, Gengar releases an area of effect attack with magical energy. It blasted back Aggron’s huge rocks, sending the rock titan flying back and clashed with Cradily’s attack to create a massive explosion, also freeing him from their whips.
• Sludge Bomb: As a poison type, he can of course create slobs of sludge (ew) to throw at his opponents. It’s able to fire sludge bombs from his mouth too (double ew) and if it’s like the game, has a chance of poisoning his opponents.
• Will-O-Wisp: The main utility move Gengar is where he’ll launch ghostly purple energy at his opponent, to burn his opponents. It has burned Metagross, sapping its strength and if left untreated, will eventually KO his opponents.

Lucario

• Type: Fighting and Steel
• STAB Targets: Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark, Fairy
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Fire
• Resistances and Immunities: Normal, Dragon, Rock, Bug, Grass, Ice, Dark, Poison (Immunity)

Everyone’s favorite gen 4 fighting type Pokémon that everyone had in their team, this Pokémon began as a Riolu after Ash hatched it from its egg. Though they didn’t get along well at first, once Riolu sensed Ash’s aura, they quickly became friends and trusted partners. Riolu eventually evolved into a Lucario proper once Chairman Rose was invoking his Darkest Day plan (aka the worst timed plan ever in Pokémon history, but we digress). Becoming even more powerful, Ash would also get him the Lucarionite, letting him evolve into Mega Lucario (more on this later).

Lucario is strong and fast and only desires to get stronger, eager for a battle. Despite being headstrong, he’ll never back down from a fight. As established earlier, Lucario has access to “aura” and Ash’s is no exception. He has used it to read his opponent’s moves and track the movements of Pokémon, letting him dodge them with more ease. Other Lucarios have resisted Steel Island’s effects that cause steel types to go rampant thanks to their Aura. Ash’s Lucario also has the ability Inner Focus, which prevents from flinching, letting him power through attacks.

Moves Used:

• Vacuum Wave: Mainly used as a Riolu, he can fire a pulse of energy from his hands. He’s able to destroy Onix’s rocks and can rapidly fire them.
• Force Palm: Mainly used as a Riolu, he can strike with great force with…well, his palm. He’s able to push back against Mr. Mime’s barriers with it and as a Mega Lucario, able to send a Gigantamax Machamp stumbling back despite the large size difference.
• Double Team: No we’re not making the same Naruto joke twice, but like Greninja, he does make illusionary clones to surround his opponents. He has used it to dodge attacks and have his other clones use Aura Sphere to deal more damage than normal. 
• Reversal: A move where Lucario charges his fist to deal devastating damage, with a kicker: the more damage he has sustained, the more damage it’ll do. As you can imagine, it’s a risky move, but Lucario has been pushed to his limits before, such as when he defeated Rotom with the move, creating a big explosion.
• Aura Sphere: Lucario launches his signature aura sphere at his enemies, a ball of fighting energy. It’s a powerful blast, able to cause explosions on contact with ease, such as when he matched Gigantamax Machamp’s attacks. He can make the ball grow even bigger too, to the point it’s like Goku’s Spirit Bomb, able to deal massive damage to his foes.
• Steel Beam: Lucario can fire a beam of steel energy from his palms (and the closest thing to a Kamehameha in his kit). He’s been able to injure the legendary Articuno with it and set himself free from a Gyarados’ grab with it.
• Bullet Punch: Lucario can launch a flurry of punches with steel energy. He’s been able to injure a Dynamax Togekiss despite its size and deflect their rapid Air Slash projectiles with ease.

Sirfetch’d

“May you continue to carry, you glorious bastard” – Trashy

• Type: Fighting
• STAB Targets: Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark
• Weaknesses: Flying, Psychic, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Rock, Bug, Dark

Before he existed, no one took Farfetch’d seriously (don’t lie to me!) but in Galar there existed a special variant of the Wild Duck Pokémon that was always eager for a challenge. It challenged every trainer out there, until he met his match with Ash’s Riolu. After a fierce fight, Ash offered Farfetch’d a spot on his team which the duck accepted. He would later evolve into the mighty Sirfetch’d, gaining a sword and shield (say that again?) Don’t underestimate the leek sword though; Sirfetch’d has power and defense, being a vital part of Ash’s team in Journeys.

Moves Used:

• Night Slash: He sends a powerful slash with his leek. It’s strong enough to send the Gurdurr flying into a wall with ease, even as a Farfetch’d.
• Brutal Swing: He can swing his leek around and around with great force, even creating a mini twister to take down Riolu’s double team clones surrounding him. He broke Gurdurr’s I-beam with it and created a twister sending Team Rocket flying back.
• Fury Cutter: This time, the leek will glow with green energy and he can swing it rapidly. He’s deflected all of Garchomp’s Scale Shot projectiles with the move and even destroyed Mr. Rime’s Psychic Terrain, thanks to it being a Bug-type move.
• Focus Energy: Sirfetch’d can…well, focus his energy, making his next strike much more powerful. Thanks to this amp, he’s been able to split a huge rock floor with ease.
• Detect: Though Sirfetch’d can’t ‘spam’ it, he can anticipate his opponent’s next move and dodge with ease like…some sorta ultra instinct. More seriously, he’s used it to dodge multiple Night Slashes from Gallade and even an attack in midair.
• Meteor Assault: Sirfetch’d uses his more powerful move where he focuses his energy to the tip of his blade…leek, and rams it onto the opponent with great force. Though it has KO’d a lot of foes and at least dealt heavy damage to foes, he does suffer recoil at the end of the move. In fact, it’s caused to pass out while still standing in a pretty cool scene during his fight with Garchomp.

Dracovish

Thank you Mr. Fish.

• Type: Water and Dragon
• STAB Targets: Fire, Rock, Ground, Dragon
• Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy
• Resistances and Immunities: Steel, Water, Fire (x1/4)

The Fossil Pokémon that got banned to the Ubers tiers himself, Dracovish was first encountered when some scientists were messing around with random fossils to create him. Though it was hostile to Ash at first, he actually just wanted to bond with and swim with him. After the scientists decided to let Ash keep him, they quickly became friends and a valuable member on Ash’s team. He’s a very friendly Pokémon and is a powerful threat that loves to bite things…including Ash himself (though he doesn’t seem to mind!…usually.) Without him, who knows how Ash’s Journeys adventure would go. It’s able to bite through Pikachu’s Electro Web with ease and catch Iris’ Dragonite.

Moves Used:

• Water Gun: A standard ranged Water type attack involving a high pressure blast of water being shot at foes. It collided with Cinderace’s Pyro Ball and made Mega Altaria’s wings wet to weaken it.
• Fishious Rend: This is the reason why Mr. Fish was banned to Ubers. His jaw will glow and he’ll deal a devastating watery bite that’ll destroy most foes. It’s been able to destroy rock with ease and injure Steven’s Metagross. It’s also been used to restrain Pokémon like Dragapult preventing them from escaping and took Gengar’s Shadow Ball without issue aside from the shockwave it creates.
• Ice Fang: Another bite it can do that can freeze foes with his jaws. It has frozen Dragonite solid (wtf man), Leon’s Dragapult and even Rillaboom’s Drum Beating isn’t safe.
• Dragon Rush: The only other physical attack he’s shown that doesn’t involve biting, Dracovish will rush at his opponents with draconic energy to deal devastating damage. It has created a big explosion from a clash with it and clashed evenly with Rillaboom, KOing it.

Yugi’s Deck

Before going into Yugi’s very, very extensive list of cards, a few things should be established.

During Season 1, known as Duelist Kingdom, the rules of Duel Monsters were incredibly flimsy. Characters could just come up with what they wanted to on the spot and the game would just go with it (Giant Soldier of Stone attacking the Full Moon spell card). By the time of Season 2, Seto Kaiba had established the proper rules of Duel Monsters for his Battle City tournament, which became the basis for the anime going forward (including every series afterwards and the actual IRL game). Many cards have changed their properties as the show goes on (Fusion cards used to be non-existent until they were actually fused in a duel), so for the sake of consistency, we’ll be using the cards based on their latest usage (Valkyrion the Magna Warrior was treated as Fusion Monster in its first appearance, but was treated as an Effect Monster in every duel afterwards). Many cards differ from their TCG/OCG effects either for the sake of balancing/buffing reasons (Normal Monsters from the manga gaining effects for their irl counterpart) or for the anime’s purposes (Flame Swordsman is a Normal monster in the anime, while a Fusion monster in the actual game). As Yugi’s story is the primary source, we’ll be using the anime and manga versions of the cards over the TCG/OCG.

You may also notice several cards you’ve never seen Yugi use in the anime, manga or the various anime movies. For the sake of completion, we are listing off nearly every card Yugi has used in the anime, manga and video games. This includes stuff like the spin-off manga Yu-Gi-Oh! R (which essentially replaces the Waking the Dragons arc in the manga timeline), the novel which fits into the timeline, and the small arc in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX where Jaden duelled a student who stole a replica of Yugi’s deck. A good chunk of the cards come from both Legacy of the Duelist, one of the franchise’s main games for duels, and Duel Links, a mobile game where Yugi has voice lines for many of these cards. Which cards will be considered standard will be addressed later in the blog.

Monster Cards

The key to many of Yugi’s victories. These Duel Monsters come in all shapes and sizes and each of them have varying levels of power to them. From powerful wizards, skilled warriors, demonic fiends to cute critters, Yugi values each and every one of his monsters as if they were his friends. Some of them quite literally are, in fact. Some monsters are simply stat bricks, specializing in either hitting hard or being able to take a beating while others have special effects that take place when certain criteria is met. This mix and match approach that Yugi takes helps him come up with various strategies that keep his opponents guessing about the next play he’ll make. In spite of using several cards people would deem useless, to Yugi, there are no pathetic cards in his deck.

Normal Monsters

(He will never be meta, sadly)

Normal Monsters are the basic of the bunch. Generally speaking, they have decently high stats while being unable to really do anything super special, usually requiring the support of other cards to bring out their full potential.

• Alpha, Beta and Gamma the Magnet Warriors: A trio of magnet people who can unleash their true potential when all three of them combine. They can also be amped up if struck by lightning
• Ancient Sorcerer: A wizard armed with multiple wands capable of multiple attacks.
• Armaill: An odd warrior that has three blades, two in its hands and one as a tail.
• Baby Dragon: This little baby dragon is strong, but grows stronger with age.
• Battle Warrior: This warrior is normally used by his friend Joey, but it’s such a strong card since he can fight with his bare hands!
• Beaver Warrior: A beaver that is armed with a sword and shield. Fun fact: it’s name is Louise
• Blackland Fire Dragon: This is the first card Yugi was seen using in the anime, being a decently strong dragon.
• Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Seto Kaiba’s signature monster and one of the most famous cards in existence, if not one of the most famous dragons in fiction. Yugi has used the creature on a few occasions, such as his first duel with Kaiba in the manga, against Kaiba’s imposter in Duelist Kingdom and when taking over Kaiba’s duel against Noah. Nonstandard yes, but too iconic to leave unmentioned.
• Celtic Guardian: One of Yugi’s most iconic early monsters, this elf swordsman is usually the first on the frontlines.
• Curse of Dragon: Yugi’s go-to dragon capable of breathing flames that can incinerate the land.
• Curtain of the Dark Ones: A curtain made by a spellcaster that can raise a dark power.
• Dark Magician: Yugi’s ace monster. Dark Magician is the ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense. There’s actually more to this wizard than it seems on paper because the truth is that he’s actually the spirit of Mahad, one of the Priests and childhood friend of the Pharaoh Atem. It can blast foes with its dark magic and create holes in space to absorb and redirect the attacks of a monster. Out of its own will, it can also protect Yugi. 
• Dark Red Enchanter: A powerful spellcaster with strong defensive abilities. (This card is an Effect Monster in the actual card game)
• Fairywitch: A spellcaster that was destined to be a fairy, but chose the path of a witch.
• Feral Imp: As its name implies, an imp that’s feral. It looks a lot scarier when summoned.
• Fireyarou: A malevolent fire spirit.
• Gaia the Fierce Knight: A knight atop his stallion who skewers foes utilizing his javelin. Kaiba in the manga says that this card is the strongest card in the Warrior type (until powercreep happened, of course).
• Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts: This beast is strong on its own, but combines with Berformet to become a mightier beast.
• Gemini Elf: A pair of elf twins that take turns with their attacks.
• Giant Soldier of Stone: As the name implies, a giant golem made of rock. Its defenses are high, but its most famous feat is destroying the Moon in Yugi’s duel with Mako Tsunami.
• Gorz the Emissary of Darkness: A powerful monster Yugi summoned in Yu-Gi-Oh! R (This card is an Effect Monster in the actual card game)
• Great White: A giant shark with a pair of arms.
• Griffore: Some kind of dragon beast… thing. You might remember it more for getting absolutely obliterated by Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
• Half-Fish Man: It’s a man that’s half-fish.
• Hard Armor: A living suit of armor with a sword and a bone-jarring tackle.
• Hero of the East: A sword-swingin’ samurai from da Far East.
• Hobbit: Yeah like Lord of the Rings. 
• Horn Imp: It’s a pretty small fiend, but that sharp horn on its head makes it a formidable opponent.
• Kanan the Swordmistress: An elegant swordswoman that floats lightly and stings sharply.
• Kaien the Emissary of Darkness: A powerful monster that really got the short end of the stick. It’s just a Token in the actual game.
• Koumori Dragon: A fire-breathing dragon whose wicket flame corrupts the souls of its victims. Also it doesn’t seem to have an actual body, just limbs.
• Lady of Faith: A calm lady that soothes the souls of others by chanting a mysterious spell.
• Legion the Fiend Jester: A clown that sold his soul to the devil. Classic clown behavior. (This card is an effect monster in the irl game)
• Maiden of the Moonlight: A sorcerer with lunar powers far beyond mortal comprehension.
• Mammoth Graveyard: A skeletal mammoth. Yugi once had this card fuse with Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to make it slowly rot and die (holy shit).
• Mushroom Man: Clearly the strongest card in Yugi’s deck.
• Mystical Elf: An elf with a strong defense. In Duelist Kingdom it had an effect where it could power up Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
• Necrolancer the Time-lord: A weird one-eyed green monster that can launch attacks from his dimensional ring.
• One who Hunts Souls: A weird centaur fish headless horseman combo with a sword that sucks souls.
• Phantom Dewan: A sorcerer that can paralyze an enemy with a single curse.
• Phantom Ghost: A vengeful spirit made up of many restless souls.
• Queen’s Knight and Jack’s Knight: Armed warriors themed after the Queen and Jack cards in a deck of poker cards
• Red-Eyes Black Dragon: Joey’s signature monster that he won from Rex Raptor back in Duelist Kingdom. Just like the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Yugi has summoned this dragon a few times and while it’s also nonstandard and he even gave the card back to Joey (with the implication being Joey won it back), it’s also iconic enough to be mentioned here.
• Right Leg, Left Leg, Right Arm, Left Arm of the Forbidden One: The limbs of a certain monster
• Rock Ogre Grotto #1: Protected by a solid body of rock, this monster throws a bone-shattering punch.
• Sectarian of Secrets: This wizard worships the darkness, and is served by a sinister hand that drags its enemies into oblivion.
• Seiyaryu: A mystical dragon that burns away the unworthy with its mystic flames.
• Silver Fang: A wolf who lunges at foes 
• Skull Servant: He’s weak, but you kinda expect that for a guy that’s all bones. They do make him the face of one of the funniest decks in the actual game though.
• Summoned Skull: A mighty Archfiend who strikes foes down with lightning. Does 30% extra damage to any monster that’s covered in water.
• Terra the Terrible: A big fiend who is very terrible..
• The Illusory Gentleman: An odd gentleman who sometimes saves people and sometimes commits crimes.
• Torike: A little dinosaur.
• Toy Magician: A toy magician and one of little Yugi’s favorites (this card has an effect in the irl game).
• Toy Soldier: A toy soldier (this card has an effect in the irl game).
• Toy Tank: A toy tank (this card has an effect in the irl game. Seeing a pattern here?).
• Tyhone: Some weird… flying face thing that can shoot cannonballs.
• Wattkid: He electrocutes opponents with bolts of lightning.
• Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1: The first monster Yugi summons using holographic technology. In the manga it has the power of flight to give it a 35% chance of dodging attacks.
• Zombie Warrior: He’s more of a skeleton warrior (this card is Fusion card in the irl game).

Effect Monsters

(Also best girl)

Effect Monsters, as their name implies, have special effects that change how a duel goes. They can range from gaining ATK points, destroying other monsters or summoning other monsters.

• 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom: When flipped over from facedown position, it destroys all Level 4 Monsters the opponent controls.
• Alchemist of Black Spells: This spellcaster can switch from attack position into defense position and place a spell counter on any of Yugi’s cards that can use them.
• Apple Magician Girl: Once per turn, if this card is targeted by an attack, Yugi can summon a Level 5 Spellcaster type monster and switch the attack over to it, halving the attack power of the attacking monster. If this card is destroyed, Yugi can add 3 “Magician Girl” monsters  with different names from his Graveyard to his hand.
• Apprentice Illusion Magician: Yugi can Special Summon this card directly by discarding a card from his hand. When summoned, Yugi can add Dark Magician to his hand. If a DARK Spellcaster Monster makes an attack against an opposing monster, Yugi can send this card to the Graveyard to boost its Attack by 2000 points during that specific attack.
• Archfiend of Gilfer: This mighty archfiend has a sinister ability. Upon destruction, it latches onto an enemy monster and weakens it by 500 attack points.
• Archfiend’s Advent: Summoned Skull’s Shining Sarcophagus counterpart, where it can be summoned without a tribute if Shining Sarcophagus is on the field. It powers up other monsters on the field, and take control of an opponent’s monster until the end phase.
• Berformet: When this fiend is summoned, Yugi can add Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts to his hand, setting up for a fusion summon.
• Berry Magician Girl: When this card is normal summoned, Yugi can add one Magician Girl from his deck to his hand. When the opponent activates a card effect that targets this card or attacks it, Yugi can change its battle position and summon another Magician Girl from his deck.
• Big Shield Gardna: This warrior has a massive shield and strong defense, but upon being attacked switches into attack mode.
• Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning: This almighty version of Yugi’s Black Luster Soldier was used by a copycat that stole a replica of Yugi’s deck. It’s special summoned by banishing one Light monster and one Dark monster from the graveyard. It can either banish an opponent’s monster at the cost of attacking, or attack twice.
• Blocken: When another monster is attacked, this one can take its place as the target. When it leaves the field, Yugi can summon Lengard from his deck in attack position
• Blockman: If two turns pass, the monster can deconstruct itself into two different monsters
• Blue Dragon Summoner: If this summoner is sent from the field to the graveyard, Yugi can add a Dragon, Warrior or Spellcaster Normal Monster from his deck to his hand. 
• Breaker the Magical Warrior: Upon being summoned, Breaker gains a spell counter and boosts his attack by 300 points. Yugi can remove it to destroy a spell or trap on the field. But you definitely know this monster more for DORO! MONSTA CARDO!
• Buster Blader: This almighty warrior gains attack points for each dragon on the field, making it one of Yugi’s most anti-Kaiba cards.
• Catapult Turtle: This monster lets Yugi launch his monsters at the opponent and deal direct damage equal to half of their attack points. This tributes the monster that is launched, and works with monsters taken from his opponent’s side of the field. Very effective against walls and barriers in particular.
• Celtic Guard of Noble Arms: This upgraded version of Celtic Guardian allows Yugi to summon another Celtic Guard from his hand, though its high attack power prevents it from attacking if Yugi has any cards in his hand. Upon dealing damage, Yugi can draw cards equal to the amount of Celtic Guard monsters on the field.
• Charging Gaia the Fierce Knight: This card can be summoned by lowering its attack. When tributed, Yugi can add a Black Luster Soldier from his deck to his hand. 
• Chocolate Magician Girl: Yugi can discard one spellcaster from his hand to draw a card. When this card is attacked, Yugi can summon another spellcaster from the graveyard and change the attack target to it while also halving the attack damage of the initial attacker.
• Clear Kuriboh: Clear Kuriboh can be discarded to negate any sort of monster effect damage. If Yugi is attacked directly while this card is in the graveyard, he can draw a card. If it’s a monster, he can special summon it and have it take the blow or retaliate.
• Crusader of Endymion: This Gemini monster acts like a normal monster. But if another copy is on the field it gains the effect of placing spell counters, and gaining attack points in the process.
• Cyber Jar: This absolute menace of a card has a nasty flip effect. Upon being flipped up, all monsters on the field are destroyed, then both players reveal the top 5 cards of their deck. All revealed level 4 or lower monsters can be summoned, and the remaining cards are added to the player’s hands.
• Dark Magician Girl: AKA, a lot of people’s crushes when they were younger (and likely still do have). Barring a strong resemblance to Mana, a childhood friend of Atem and student of Mahad, this monster is the pupil of the Dark Magician. She gains 500 ATK for every Dark Magician and Magician of Black Chaos in either player’s Graveyard. She’s fairly common in Yugi’s duels especially during the Battle City arc and instrumental in some spells that require her like Dark Magic Twin Burst. She also is able to communicate and even talk with Yugi sometimes. 
• Dark Magician Girl the Magician’s Apprentice: Dark Magician Girl’s Shining Sarcophagus counterpart. This card can be Special Summoned by discarding one card, and upon summon Yugi can add a Shining Sarcophagus to his hand. It also gains 300 attack points for each Shining Sarcophagus monster in the graveyard.
• Dark Magician Knight: This card can only be Special Summoned by using Knight’s Title on Dark Magician. Upon summon, this monster destroys a single card on the field.
• Dark Magician of Chaos: This evolved form of Dark Magician was used by Yugi’s copycat in GX. It allows him to add a spell from his graveyard to his hand. Upon destroying an opponent’s monster, it will get banished. Though being destroyed banishes Dark Magician of Chaos as well.
• Dark Magician the Magician of Black Magic: Dark Magician’s Shining Sarcophagus counterpart. This card is treated as “Dark Magician” when on the field. If Shining Sarcophagus is on the field, Yugi can Special Summon this card from his hand. If this card is destroyed by card effect and a Level 5 or higher monster is on the field Yugi can Special Summon this card, then you set 1 Spell/Trap from his Deck that mentions “Dark Magician”. 
• Dark Sage: The result of Dark Magician being aged to old man levels via Time Wizard’s effect. The wiser wizard has better stats, allows the user to activate Spell cards from the hand and can add a Spell card to their hand instead of performing a normal draw
• Defender, the Magical Knight: The defensive counterpart to Breaker. Its spell counter instead protects another spellcaster from being destroyed.
• Des Volstgalph: A dragon counterpart to Archfiend of Gilfer. This monster gains attack points whenever a spell is activated. Upon destroying an opponent’s monster, it also inflicts 500 points of damage.
• Detonating Kuriboh: If a Kuriboh monster is on the field, Yugi can special summon this card from his hand. When the opponent activates a monster effect on the field, Yugi can equip this card to them and just negate its effect.
• Electromagnetic Turtle: By banishing this card from the graveyard during the battle phase, Yugi can end it instantly.
• Exodia the Forbidden One: The final piece of the Forbidden One. If this card and the Left Arm, Right Arm, Left Leg and Right Leg are in Yugi’s hand, he automatically wins the duel. Of course, this was only used once and never again and the only other time he does show up, it’s to get split in half by Zorc
• Gadget Trio: A trio of gadget monsters called Green, Red, and Yellow Gadget. Once all 3 of the gadgets and Stronghold The Moving Fortress are on the field, the gadgets can merge with Stronghold to raise its attack points to 3000
• Gandora the Dragon of Destruction: A massive dragon that can annihilate all monsters on the field (ally and enemy) with its destructive rays. However, it can only be on the field for a single turn.
• Gandora-G the Dragon of Destruction: Gandora’s Shining Sarcophagus counterpart. It gains attack for each banished card and can also be special summoned if Shining Sarcophagus is on the field. By paying half of his lifepoints, Yugi can destroy every other card on the field and banish them, and special Summon a Level 7 or lower monster that mentions Shining Sarcophagus from his deck, as well as increase its level by the amount of cards destroyed.
• Gandora-X the Dragon of Demolition: This almighty version of Gandora destroys every other monster on the field and then inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the monster with the highest original attack of those destroyed. It then gains those as attack points. This powerful monster’s cost is that Yugi must pay half his life points at the end of the turn.
• Gigarays Gandora the Dragon of Destruction: This version of Gandora requires two tributes via sending and gains attack for each banished card. By paying half his life points, Yugi can activate one of three effects based on the different Gandora monsters in the graveyard. For 1, this card can destroy all other cards on the field. 2, it can banish all other cards on the field. 3? Banishes all other cards on the field and in both graveyards.
• Goddess with the Third Eye: Can be used as a substitute for any specific monster for a Fusion Monster
• Goggle Golem: This golem is a Gemini. If there’s another copy, its attack points become 2100.
• Golem Sentry: This gate-like golem can be flipped face down. When flipped up it returns an opponent’s monster to hand.
• Gonogo: If this card battles an opponent’s monster, it gets flipped face down into defense position.
• Guardian Sphinx: This big sphinx returns all monsters on the opponent’s field to their hand if flipped up.
• Guardian Statue: This big rock is a weaker version that only returns 1 monster from the opponent’s deck to their hand.
• King of the Swamp: Can be used as a substitute for any specific monster for a Fusion Monster
• King’s Knight: If Queen’s Knight is on the field, Jack’s Knight can be Special Summoned from the deck
• Kiwi Magician Girl: Yugi can discard this card from his hand, and all Magician Girls on the field get a power up for each Magician Girl on the field with different names. While on the field, all Spellcaster monsters Yugi controls cannot be destroyed by card effects or targeted.
• Kuribabylon: This monstrous Kuriboh gains attack equal to the total attack of the Kuriboh monsters removed from play to summon it. Yugi can also return this card to the deck to special summon all of them.
• Kuribah: Kuribah can banish the other Kuriboh brothers to summon Kuribabylon. 
• Kuribandit: Kuribandit can be tributed for Yugi to draw 5 cards, and then discard all monster cards drawn by the effect.
• Kuribee: When any of the other Kuriboh monsters are targeted for an attack, Kuribee can negate the attack.
• Kuribeh: Kuribeh can banish the other Kuriboh brothers to summon Kuribandit.
• Kuriboh: This fuzzy critter explodes when it comes into contact with the enemy’s attack, negating the attack altogether. 
• Kuriboo: Kuriboo can lower an opposing monster’s attack points if Yugi discards a trap card.
• Legendary Knights Timaeus, Critias and Hermos: The true forms of the Legendary Dragons, being knights that once fought to protect Atlantis. Timaeus can absorb the effects of other monsters on the field. Critias can absorb the effects of traps in the graveyard. Hermos can redirect attacks to itself and absorb monster effects in the graveyard, while also being able to gain attack points by removing three monsters from the deck and gaining their combined attack.
• Lemon Magician Girl: Yugi can tribute another Magician Girl, and add a spellcaster monster to his hand. When this card is targeted for an attack, Yugi can special summon another spellcaster from his hand, but its effects get negated. It becomes the new attack target, but the attacking monster loses half its attack points.
• Lengard: When another monster takes damage, this one takes its place and lowers the damage taken to 0.
• Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight: If Yugi controls no monsters, he can special summon this monster. Whenever the opponent special summons a stronger monster, it gains attack points. 
• Magical Exemplar: Each time a spell is activated, this monster gains 2 spell counters. Yugi can remove the spell counters and summon a spellcaster from the hand or graveyard based on how many spell counters are removed.
• Magician of Dark Illusion: This card is treated as Dark Magician while on the field. Yugi can special summon it from his hand when he activates a spell or trap on the opponent’s turn. If a spell or trap is activated while this card is on the field, Yugi can special summon a Dark Magician from the graveyard.
• Magician of Faith: When this card is flipped up, Yugi can add a spell from the graveyard to the hand
• Magicians’ Souls: This card can exchange up to 2 spells/traps to draw the same amount of cards. This card in the hand can send one level 6 or higher monster to the graveyard and then either special summon itself, or special summon a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from the graveyard.
• Magician’s Robe: When this card is on the field on the opponent’s turn, Yugi can discard a spell/trap to special summon Dark Magician from the deck. During the opponent’s turn, this card can be special summoned from the graveyard if a spell/trap is activated, but it’s banished when it leaves the field.
• Magician’s Rod: When normal summoned, Yugi can add a spell or trap to the hand that mentions Dark Magician. During the opponent’s turn, if a spell or trap is activated while this card is in the graveyard, a spellcaster can be tributed to add this card to the hand.
• Magician’s Valkyria: While this card is on the field, all other spellcasters can’t be attacked except for this card.
• Magikuriboh: During the main or battle phases, if Yugi took damage, he can send this card from the hand to the graveyard to special summon a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from the deck or graveyard. If a spellcaster is destroyed by battle or card effect, Yugi can add this card from the graveyard to the hand.
• Maiden of Macabre: If this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: Place 1 Spell Counter on it. Gains 200 ATK for each Spell Counter on it. 
• Marshmacaron: If this card is destroyed, Yugi can special summon two more copies from the hand, deck or graveyard.
• Marshmallon: A monster that cannot be destroyed by battle, with only magic being able to take it out. If attacked in defense mode, the opponent loses 1000 life points
• Megarock Dragon: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned from Yugi’s hand by banishing any number of Rock monster(s) from your GY. The original ATK/DEF of this card becomes the number of Rock monsters banished to Special Summon it x 700. 
• Mind on Air: While this card is on the field, the opponent must keep their hand revealed at all times.
• Minoan Centaur: This card cannot be Special Summoned, but can be tributed to Special Summon 2 Level 4 Beast-Warrior-Type Normal Monsters from Yugi’s Deck. 
• Mirage Knight: Summoned with the effect of Dark Flare Knight, this warrior gains the attack of an opponent’s monster before destroying it. It’s banished by the end of the turn, and special summons both Dark Magician and Flame Swordsman from the graveyard.
• Moremarshmallon: The Shining Sarcophagus counterpart of Marshmallon. While Shining Sarcophagus is on the field, it cannot be destroyed and all attacks are redirected to it. Yugi can special summon this from the hand if Shining Sarcophagus is on the field. If this card is destroyed by card effect, Yugi can summon another copy and inflict 1000 points of damage.
• Morphing Jar: This flip monster forces both players to discard their hand and draw five.
• Muka Muka: This rock gains 300 attack and defense points for each card in Yugi’s hand.
• Mythical Beast Cerberus: Each time a Spell Card is activated, Yugi can place 1 Spell Counter on this card when that Spell resolves. It gains 500 ATK for each Spell Counter on it. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card battled, all Spell Counters are removed. Also it’s a Spellcaster instead of a Beast, weirdly enough.
• Obnoxious Celtic Guard: A version of the Celtic Guardian that cannot be destroyed by battle by monsters with 1900 or more ATK
• Old Vindictive Magician: This flip monster can destroy a monster on the opponent’s side of the field.
• Palladium Oracle Mahad: If this card is drawn, it can be Special Summoned immediately. When it does battle with a Dark attribute monster, it’s attack is doubled
• Phantom Beast Wild-Horn: This monster can inflict piercing battle damage.
• Red, Yellow and Green Gadgets: These machines can help summon one another. Red Gadget adds Yellow Gadget to the hand. Yellow Gadget adds Green Gadget to the hand. And Green Gadget summons Red Gadget.
• Red-Eyes Soul: The soul of Red-Eyes Black Dragon, and can be treated like the actual real deal. By sending this card to the graveyard when the opponent special summons, Yugi can summon a “Red-Eyes” monster from his deck or hand, aside from Red-Eyes Soul. Red-Eyes Soul can inflict damage to the opponent equal to the attack of a Red-Eyes Black Dragon on the field.
• Relinkuriboh: When this card is tributed, Yugi can draw a card. When a monster on the field is about to be destroyed, Yugi can banish this card to protect it from destruction.
• Royal Straight Slasher: By sending 5 level one through five monsters from his deck to the graveyard, Yugi destroys all cards on the field
• Sangan: When this card is sent to the graveyard, Yugi can add a monster with 1500 or less attack to his hand, then shuffle his deck. 
• Sentry Soldier of Stone: If Yugi controls a “Stone” monster, he can special summon this card from the graveyard.
• Silent Magician: The monster that Yugi used to deliver the final blow against Atem. This spell caster levels up and becomes stronger every time Yugi’s opponent draws a card
• Silent Magician LV4, LV8: The card game versions of Silent Magician. Each time Yugi’s opponent draws a card, LV4 gains a spell counter and 500 attack for each one. With 5 spell counters, Yugi can send it to summon LV8. Level 8 is immune to opponent’s spell effects.
• Silent Magician Zero: The Shining Sarcophagus version of Silent Magician. This card gains levels based on the number of cards the opponent has drawn. It gains 500 attack for each level gained. While Shining Sarcophagus is on the field, it can negate spells and increase a level that way. 
• Silent Paladin: When this card is Normal Summoned, it can add a Silent Swordsman LV3 or Silent Magician LV4 from the deck to the hand. If a spell targets a single card, it can negate it. If destroyed by battle, Yugi can add a Light LV monster from his graveyard to the hand.
• Silent Swordsman: For every turn it’s on the field, Silent Swordsman levels up and becomes stronger
• Silent Swordsman LV3, LV5, LV7: The card game versions of Silent Swordsman. LV3 can be sent for LV5 after one turn. LV5 can do the same, but only after inflicting battle damage. LV7 negates all spell effects on the field.
• Silent Swordsman Zero: The Shining Sarcophagus version of Silent Swordsman. Every standby phase, it gains a level and 500 attack points with it. While Shining Sarcophagus is on the field, it negates card effects and increase its level by 1. 
• Silver and Gold Gadgets: Upgraded versions of the Gadgets. When Silver Gadget is summoned, it can special summon a Level 4 machine monster from Yugi’s hand. Yugi summoned Gold Gadget with Silver Gadget’s effect.
• Skilled Dark Magician: This monster has two yellow balls on its shoulders and one around its neck that glow when Yugi uses a spell card. They are “Spell Counters” and when all 3 of them are activated, it can be tributed to special summon Dark Magician
• Skilled Red Magician: Each time a spell is activated, 1 spell counter can be added for a max of three. By tributing it with the max monsters, Yugi can summon an Archfiend monster like Summoned Skull or Archfiend of Gilfer. When in the graveyard, Yugi can banish it to add a spell counter to a card that can have it.
• Sorcerer of Dark Magic: By tributing two level 6 or higher spellcasters, Yugi can summon this monster. Any traps activated can be negated. When this card battles, the opposing monster loses 500 attack points for each spellcaster in the graveyard that was sent from the field.
• Sphere Kuriboh: This round Kuriboh can be sent to the graveyard to change an attacking monster to defense position. Yugi can use this card in the graveyard for his Ritual summons by banishing it.
• Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight: If Yugi has no other cards left in his hand, he can summon this monster without a sacrifice
• Tackle Crusader: If this card is sent to the graveyard, one of the following effects can be activated. Either one monster is flipped to face-down defense position, or return a spell/trap on the opponent’s field to their hand and prevent them from activating cards with that name.
• The Rock Spirit: Yugi can banish an Earth monster from the graveyard to special summon this monster.
• The Stern Mystic: This flip monster can reveal all face down cards, before setting them back into facedown.
• The Tricky: A monster who can be Special Summoned by discarding 1 card to the GY
• The Unknown Egg: This unknown egg from the novel gains 100 ATK and DEF each turn. When this card “hatches”, Yugi can select three different cards in his Graveyard. This card gains the effect of 1 of the chosen cards. This card’s ATK and DEF each becomes that of 1 of the other two chosen cards, separately.
• Timaeus the United Dragon: This version of Timaeus can be special summoned by sending a Dark Magician spell or trap, or spellcaster monster from the hand or field to the graveyard. During the main phase, Yugi can Fusion summon a monster that uses a spellcaster, using cards from the hand or field.
• Time Wizard: A wizard with a coin flip effect (or spinning a wheel in the anime). If called right, it accelerates or decelerates time, and can usually age monsters into older forms like Dark Sage, or age them to dust and weaken them significantly. Calling it wrong would result in all monsters Yugi controls being destroyed and taking half of their attack points as damage. The period of time that it can alter ranges anyways from thousands of years to millions at a time, and has enough range to cover an entire city! He gave this card to Joey, who combos it pretty frequently with Baby Dragon to make Thousand Dragon. 
• Valkyrion the Magna Warrior: The result of Alpha, Beta and Gamma the Magnet Warriors combining into one. Yugi can also disassemble Valkyrion to have all 3 magnet warriors back on the field separately.
• Van’Dalgyon the Dark Dragon Lord: When Yugi counters the effect of an opponent, he can special summon this almighty dragon from his hand.
• Watapon: If Yugi adds this card to his hand outside of the normal draw, he can special summon it.
• Winged Kuriboh: This version of the little guy acts as a shield, preventing all forms of damage upon being destroyed. Yugi famously gave this to Jaden Yuki in the first episode of GX, where it remained a reliable partner for his successor.
• Witch of the Black Forest: When this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, Yugi can add a monster with 1500 or less defense from his deck to his hand.
• Zombyra the Dark: This warrior can’t attack directly, but has high attack to make up for it. But for every monster it destroys, it loses attack points.

Egyptian God Cards

The God Cards are some of the strongest monsters in the series and have terrifying abilities that makes any normal duelist have to fight extremely uphill battles. Not only does each God represent universal polarities, but it is said that anyone who possesses all three of them will have the title of Duel King. All three of them must be summoned by tributing three monsters and are immune to the effects of spells and traps. 

• Slifer the Sky Dragon: Representing Good and Evil, Slifer is the main God Card that Yugi uses throughout Battle City. Its power is equal to the number of cards currently in Yugi’s hand. Whenever the opponent summons a monster, Slifer reduces their ATK and DEF by 2000. If the opponent’s monster doesn’t have the points to survive this, they’re blasted apart on the spot.
• Obelisk the Tormentor: Representing Light and Dark, Obelisk’s effect is that by tributing 2 monsters, it wipes out all of the opponent’s monsters in one go while also dealing 4000 points of damage. In some instances, Obelisk’s attack points can rise to infinity. Even a reflector won’t stop its assault, as it shattered Mirror Force with a single punch, though it’s also likely this happened because its card effect allows it to ignore effects like that.
• The Winged Dragon of Ra: Representing Heaven and Earth, Ra is the last of the God Cards and is actually a rank higher compared to Slifer and Obelisk to the point that their effects don’t work on Ra. It has so many different effects that it’s actually a bit absurd. Though the most frequent example is that it gains attack points from Yugi paying life points until he only has one life point left, as well as gaining the attack of the three monsters used to summon it.
  • The Winged Dragon of Ra – Sphere Mode: Ra was doing the ball thing before Bakugan made it cool. In this state Yugi can tribute even his opponent’s monsters to summon Ra. It can’t attack, but it can’t be attacked or targeted either. By speaking the ancient chant, Yugi can summon Ra and it’ll have 4000 attack and defense points as a result.
  • The Winged Dragon of Ra – Immortal Phoenix: Ra’s strongest form. In this state, Ra is immune to all effects and attacks. By paying 1000 life points, Yugi can destroy all monsters the opponent controls.
• Holactie the Creator of Light: Yugi’s most powerful monster, and quite possibly the most powerful being in the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. They are the result of combining all 3 of the God Cards together via a tribute summon. This summon cannot be stopped, and upon hitting the field, Yugi automatically wins. Holactie was so powerful they were able to utterly obliterate Zorc Necrophades and all his demonic monsters in a single attack, despite Zorc previously defeating Exodia, the Egyptian Gods and Blue-Eyes White Dragon constantly powering up into Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon then Dragon Master Knight, all with relative ease.

Ritual Monsters

Ritual Monsters are powerful monsters in the deck that can be summoned with Ritual Spells and tributing enough monsters to reach the level requirement. Ritual Monsters tend to have high stats and abilities for the setup.

• Black Luster Soldier: One of Yugi’s heavy hitters that can match the power of Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes White Dragons. It can combine further into a certain almighty dragon rider…
• Illusion of Chaos: This spellcaster can add one Dark Magician or a non-Ritual Monster that mentions it from Yugi’s deck to his hand, before returning one card from his hand to the deck. It can also negate enemy monster effects by returning to Yugi’s hand and summoning Dark Magician from the graveyard in the process.
• Magician of Black Chaos: An evolved state of Dark Magician.
• Magician of Black Chaos MAX: If this card is Special Summoned, tributing one monster allows Yugi to completely shut down an opponent’s monster effects for the rest of the turn. When this monster destroys another by battle, Yugi can add one Spell in the graveyard to his hand.
• Magician of Chaos: While on the field or in the graveyard, this card’s name is treated as “Dark Magician”. Once per turn when a spell, trap or monster effect is activated, this monster can destroy any card on the field. If this Ritual summoned monster is destroyed, Yugi can special summon any Chaos or Black Luster Soldier monster from his hand (aside from Magician of Chaos itself) and bypass the Ritual requirements.

Fusion Monsters

Fusion Monsters are Extra Deck cards, created from the combination of two monsters (usually through Polymerization). The combined strength of the monsters usually results in a powerful monster with a powerful effect. 

• Amulet Dragon: The result of Dark Magician and The Eye of Timaeus. When Summoned, all Spell Cards from Yugi’s Graveyard are banished and it gains 300 ATK for each Spell removed this way
• Arcana Knight Joker: A triple fusion between Jack’s Knight, Queen’s Knight and King’s Knight. Yugi can negate spells, traps or monster effects that target other cards, by discarding the respective card from his hand.
• Black Skull Dragon: A fusion between Summoned Skull and Red-Eyes Black Dragon
• Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast: A fusion of Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts and Berfomet. When it’s destroyed, Yugi can Special Summon either Gazelle or Berfomet from the Graveyard
• Dark Cavalry: A fusion of Dark Magician and any Warrior monster (most likely Gaia the Fierce Knight). Not only does this card gain 100 attack points for any spell and trap on the field and graveyards, it can inflict piercing battle damage to Defense position monsters. Any targeting effects can be negated via a simple discard.
• Dark Flare Knight: A fusion of Dark Magician and Flame Swordsman. Yugi takes no damage from battles involving this monster and when it’s destroyed, Mirage Knight can be Special Summoned from the deck (smh imagine being a fusion monster weaker than one of your materials)
• Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight: The result of Dark Magician Girl and The Eye of Timaeus. When this monster battles an opponent’s monster, Yugi can discard 1 card from his hand to make any damage he’d take become 0. This also protects the monster from being destroyed by battle while destroying the opponent’s.
• Dark Magician of Destruction: This card can be Fusion Summoned, or Special Summoned by banishing a Level 6 or higher Dark Spellcaster Yugi controls, as long as a spell was activated this turn. Upon special summon, Yugi can add Dark Magician to his hand, or one card that mentions it from the deck to the hand. While on the field or graveyard, this card’s name becomes “Dark Magician”.
• Dark Magician the Dragon Knight: Another Dark Magician fusion with Timaeus. This card protects all of Yugi’s spells and traps from being targeted or destroyed by the opponent’s card effects.
• Dark Magician the Knight of Dragon Magic: This fusion of Dark Magician and either 1 Dragon or Warrior monster can inflict piercing battle damage. Once per turn, when a monster destroys an opponent’s monster by battle, Yugi can inflict direct damage equal to the destroyed monster’s attack. When this card is destroyed, Yugi can summon both Dark Magician and Gaia the Dragon Champion from anywhere (aside from the Banished zone).
• Dark Paladin: A fusion of Dark Magician and Buster Blader, this monster gains 500 ATK for every Dragon on the field and in the Graveyard. It can also negate an opponent’s spell cards by discarding one card from the hand.
• Dragon Master Knight: The fusion of Black Luster Soldier and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. It gains 500 ATK for every Dragon on the field and in either player’s Graveyard, barring itself
• Gaia the Dragon Champion: A fusion of Gaia the Fierce Knight and Curse of Dragon. Gets the ability of flight.
• Master of Chaos: This fusion between Dark Magician and 1 Chaos or Black Luster Soldier Ritual monster can special summon one Light or Dark monster from Yugi’s graveyard. By tributing 1 Light or Dark monster, Yugi can banish all monsters his opponent controls. If this Fusion summoned card is destroyed, Yugi can add one spell from his graveyard to his hand.
• Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon: The card once heralded as the end times of competitive Yu-Gi-Oh! before it got powercrept by Destiny HERO Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer (Aster Phoenix the GOAT). Regardless, this fusion of Dark Magician and Red-Eyes Black Dragon (or one Dragon Effect monster) remains an incredibly powerful card, able to instantly destroy a monster and inflict damage to the opponent based on that monster’s attack. This ability can be used twice if Red-Eyes Black Dragon was the other fusion. It can also negate effects by discarding one card then gaining 1000 ATK in the process, as well as being untargetable and immune to destruction by card effects.
• The Dark Magicians: The fusion of Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl and a Spellcaster. When a Spell/Trap card or effect is activated, draw 1 card. If it’s a Spell/Trap it can be set, and if it was a Trap or Quick-Play Spell, it can be activated immediately. If it’s destroyed, Special Summon 1 Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl from the hand, deck or Graveyard
• Thousand Dragon: This is the result of Time Wizard’s magic aging Baby Dragon into maturity. A powerful beast that can blow away foes with almighty flames.
• Timaeus the Knight of Destiny: The ultimate combination between Legendary Knights Timaeus, Critias and Hermos. By sending the monsters to the graveyard, Yugi summons this behemoth of a monster that is immune to all other card effects. Upon battle, this card gains attack and defense points equal to the monster with the highest attack points on the field. Upon being destroyed by battle, Yugi can summon all three Legendary Knights from his hand, deck or graveyard.
• Timaeus the United Magidragon: Instead of Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl riding upon Timaeus, Timaeus instead gains a similar armor. Upon summon he is immune to other cards’ effects. If this card battles, it gains attack for each spell in the graveyards or banished zones. During the opponent’s turn, this card can target and destroy one spell or trap on the field.

Other Extra Deck Monsters

In Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links, Yugi is capable of performing the post-GX Extra Deck summoning methods. Synchro Summoning from 5D’s, Xyz Summoning from ZEXAL, Pendulum Summoning from ARC-V and Link Summoning from VRAINS. His main preference seems to be the Xyz Monsters, which are summoned by building the Overlay Network and stacking monsters with the same level to make a Rank. Xyz Monsters have powerful effects, but can only activate them a limited amount of times based on how many Overlay Units they have, usually removing them to activate the effect in the first place.

• Ebon High Magician: This magician allows Yugi to activate quick-play spells or traps from his hand without the need to set them first on the opponent’s turn. If this Xyz summoned card is destroyed in battle, Yugi can special summon one Dark attribute Spellcaster from his hand or deck, and then destroy a card on the field.
• Ebon Illusion Magician: This magician can be quickly summoned by ranking up a Rank 6 Spellcaster. With this monster, Yugi can special summon a Spellcaster Normal Monster from his hand or deck. And when a Spellcaster Normal Monster declares an attack, any card on the opponent’s field can be banished.
• Legendary Magician of Dark: This Legendary Magician can only be summoned via Xyz summoning with 3 level 7 monsters. If this card attacks for game while it has an Xyz Material attached that was originally a Spellcaster-Type (presumably Dark Magician), the match (a best 2 out of 3 format) is automatically won. As a Match Winner, this card is actually illegal in all official formats.

Spell Cards

(You know what this card fucking does)

Previously known as “Magic Cards” until Magic: The Gathering happened. Spell Cards can do a variety of things such as boosting the attack and defense values of a Monster, destroying enemy cards, reviving a fallen Monster or giving Monsters the ability to do some crazy stuff.

• Altar of Restoration: Banish the top 2 cards from the deck to add 1 card from the Graveyard to the hand
• Ancient Rules: This card lets Yugi special summon a Level 5 or higher normal monster from his hand
• Aria from Beyond: Yugi can activate a spell card that has been removed from play
• Arms Regeneration: This card lets Yugi equip a monster with an equip spell from either player’s graveyards.
• Attack the Moon!: Once per turn, when a Rock monster changes its battle position, 1 Spell/Trap from the opponent can be destroyed
• Awakening from Beyond: Yugi’s opponent draws two cards and in exchange, he can transfer one monster from his graveyard to his hand
• Banner of Courage: While this card is in the field, all of Yugi’s monsters gain attack points
• Berserker Soul: DORO! MONSTA CARDO! Yugi first discards his entire hand. He can then choose one monster on the field with 1500 or less attack points. He will then draw cards from his deck, and if it’s a monster, he can discard it to allow his monster to attack again. This effect can be repeated until Yugi draws a non-monster card. Quite famously, he used this to overkill Weevil Underwood.
• Black Luster Ritual: A Ritual Spell used to summon the Black Luster Soldier
• Black Magic Ritual: A Ritual Spell used to summon the Magician of Black Chaos
• Block Attack: Forces a monster in Attack Position to enter Defense Position
• Blue Medicine: Increase Life Points by 400
• Bond Between Teacher and Student: If Dark Magician is on the field, Yugi can special summon Dark Magician Girl.
• Book of Secret Arts: Increases the attack points of a Spellcaster by 300
• Bounce: Yugi can transfer the effect of any ongoing spell card effect to his opponent’s monster
• Brain Control: Yugi temporarily gains control of one of the opponent’s monsters
• Brave Attack: Add the attack of all Attack Position monsters Yugi controls and attack one monster. After the Battle Phase ends, all Attack Position monsters are destroyed.
• Breath of Light: Destroy all face-up Rock type monsters on the field.
• Burning Land: Burn away the enemy’s territory, causing them to lose some defense.
• Canyon: If a Rock monster in Defense Position is attacked, double damage is dealt to the attacker if any is taken.
• Card Destruction: Both players discard all cards in their hand and draw the same amount of cards.
• Card of Sanctity: Both duelists draw until they both have 6 cards in their hand.
• Change of Heart: Target a monster the opponent controls and take control of it until the End Phase.
• Chaos Form: This Ritual spell allows Yugi to summon any Chaos or Black Luster Soldier monster.
• Chaos Scepter Blast: If a Level 8 or higher Spellcaster is controlled, 1 card on the field can be banished face down. If this card is destroyed while in the owner’s Spell/Trap Zone, 1 Magician of Black Chaos or Dark Magician of Chaos can be Special Summoned from the deck, ignoring any Summon conditions it might have.
• Cursebreaker: Gets rid of all Spell effects the enemy has inflicted.
• Dark Burning Attack: If Dark Magician Girl is on the field, destroy all face-up monsters the opponent has.
• Dark Burning Magic: If the monsters controlled have the original name of “Dark Magician” and “Dark Magician Girl” then all cards the opponent controls are destroyed.
• Dark Hole: When used, Dark Hole spawns a black hole that sucks in and destroys all monsters on the current playfield.
• Dark Magic Attack: If Dark Magician is on the field, destroy all of the opponent’s Spell and Traps
• Dark Magic Curtain: By giving up half of his Life Points, Yugi can summon Dark Magician
• Dark Magic Expanded: Effects that are applied in sequence based on how many “Dark Magician” and/or “Dark Magician Girl” are on the field and in the Graveyards. 1+: A Dark Spellcaster monster gains 1000 ATK until the End Phase. 2+: Opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to own Spell/Trap activations or effects and own Spells and Traps cannot be destroyed by the opponent. 3+: Dark Spellcaster monsters are unaffected by opponent’s card effects until the end of the turn.
• Dark Magic Inheritance: Banish 2 Spells from the Graveyard to add 1 Spell/Trap from the deck to the hand that specifically lists “Dark Magician” or “Dark Magician Girl” in the text except another copy of Dark Magic Inheritance.
• Dark Magic Twin Burst: For only the current turn, 1 Dark Magician that Yugi controls gains ATK equal to the current ATK of a Dark Magician Girl.
• Dark Magic Veil: Pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon a Dark Spellcaster from the hand or Graveyard.
• Dark Magical Circle: Look at the top 3 cards of the deck and if it’s Dark Magician or a Spell/Trap card that mentions Dark Magician, it can be added to the hand and any other cards are placed back in any order. Whenever Dark Magician is summoned, a monster can be targeted and banished.
• Dark Spear: Dark Magician trades out his wand for a spear/lance and if his attack points exceed the targeted monster’s defense points, then the difference is taken from the opponent’s life points as if the monster was in attack mode.
• De-Fusion: Any Fusion Monster on the field, will be returned to the Extra Deck while its Fusion materials return to the field from the graveyard. 
• De-Spell: Stops the effect of a Spell Card.
• Dedication through Light and Darkness: Yugi can tribute his Dark Magician to special summon his Dark Magician of Chaos.
• Detonate: All Kuribohs explode and destroy opponent’s cards equal to the number of Kuribohs blown up by the effect.
• Diffusion Wave-Motion: By sacrificing 1000 life points, Yugi can have a level 7 or higher Spellcaster attack all of his opponent’s monsters
• Divine Evolution: This card boosts the power of his Divine monsters by 1000 attack and defense
• Double Spell: Yugi can use all Spell Cards the opponent played previously
• Double Summon: As its name implies, this gives Yugi two normal summons on his turn.
• Emblem of Dragon Destroyer: This card lets Yugi add Buster Blader to his hand.
• Excalibur: A monster equipped with this sword has its attack points doubled, but Yugi cannot draw any cards. If he chooses to draw, this card is destroyed.
• Exchange: Both players look at each other’s hand and take 1 card from it.
• Exile of the Wicked: This card destroys all Fiend monsters on the field.
• Fiend’s Sanctuary: This card summons a Metal Fiend Token. This token reflects all damage from attacks, but Yugi has to pay 1000 life points during his standby phase to keep it on the field. Kaiba gave him this card to assist in Yugi’s duel against Yami Marik
• Fissure: This card destroys a face-up monster the opponent controls with the highest attack.
• Five Star Twilight: By tributing a five star monster, Yugi can summon the Kuriboh Brothers.
• Flames of the Archfiend: When Yugi controls an Archfiend monster, it destroys all field spells and non-archfiend monsters with 1000 or less attack, dealing 1000 damage to each player.
• Full Moon: This card empowers Yugi’s Beast-Type monsters, but also raises the water tides. Yugi famously destroyed the card with Giant Soldier of Stone.
• Fusion Recycling Plant: This field spell allows Yugi to discard a card for Polymerization, and add a monster in the graveyard to his hand if it was used for a Fusion summon this turn.
• Future Silence: This lets Yugi add a Shining Sarcophagus monster to his hand. If activated during the battle phase while controlling Shining Sarcophagus and a monster that mentioned it, both players can draw until they each have 6 cards in their hand.
• Goddess Bow: This spell is actually a Fusion by using the Claw of Hermos on Queen’s Knight. Any monster equipped with this card has their attack doubled, and it gains destruction immunity if the monster it battles attempts to use its ability and gain another attack as a result. 
• Gold Sarcophagus: Yugi chooses a card from his deck and seals it into the golden box. If his opponent activates the same card, the effect of the card is negated
• Graceful Charity: Yugi can draw three cards and discard two from his hand. This card is easily one of the best setup cards in the game.
• Hand Control: Yugi can declare the name of a spell card. If the opponent has it, they’re forced to activate it.
• Heavy Storm: When used, Heavy Storm destroys all cards in both players’ Spell and Trap field.
• Horn of the Unicorn: Raises the ATK and DEF of a monster by 700, and give them a fancy horn to match.
• Illusion Magic: By tributing a spellcaster monster, Yugi can add up to 2 copies of Dark Magician from his deck or graveyard to his hand.
• Invigoration: This equip spell increases an Earth monster’s attack by 400 while lowering its defense by 200.
• Legend of Heart: By paying 1000 life points and tributing a warrior type monster, Yugi banishes The Eye of Timaeus, Claw of Hermos and Fang of Critias in order to summon them in their true Legendary Knight forms. This also destroys field spells like The Seal of Orichalcos, bypassing its natural immunity to destruction.
• Level Up!: This card lets Yugi level up his Silent Swordsman or Silent Magician, bypassing their usual requirements.
• Lightforce Sword: Did you just throw a sword through my fucking card? Weirdly played like a spell despite clearly being a Trap card on initial introduction before becoming a spell later. Anyways, it removes a card from the opponent’s hand for three turns.
• Lighting Blade: A warrior monster equipped by this card gains 800 attack points. All Water monsters on the field lose 500 attack points.
• Living Arrow: Yugi can use the effect of another Spell card on the enemy. This effect can either be one previously used by an opponent or one used by Yugi himself. Can force adverse results on other monsters such as creating a fusion that continuously damages and rots them away, destroying and decaying their body while lowering their attack points.
• Mage Power: This equip spell increases the attack and defense of a monster by 500 for each spell and trap Yugi controls
• Magic Blade – Ice Sword: An equip spell for Warriors. It raises their attack by 500.
• Magic Formula: An equip spell for Spellcasters. Raises their attack by 500
• Magic Gate of Miracles: When Yugi controls two spellcasters, he can take control of an opponent’s monster. Yugi used this to take back Yusei’s Stardust Dragon from Paradox.
• Magical Academy: By discarding 2 cards, Yugi can special summon a spellcaster monster from his hand, then increase its level by 2 and attack points by 500. This negates the effects of the opponent’s spell and traps that target it this turn.
• Magical Citadel of Endymion: This field spell supports Spell Counter cards. Whenever a spell is activated, a spell counter can be placed on this card. The spell counters on this field spell can be used as substitutes for the spell counter effects of Yugi’’s other cards. If it were to be destroyed, Yugi can remove a spell counter from the field spell instead.
• Magical Contract Door: By giving an opponent 1 spell card, Yugi can add 1 level 7 or 8 Dark monster from his deck to his hand.
• Magical Dimension: If Yugi controls a spellcaster, he can tribute a monster, then special summon another spellcaster from his hand before destroying another monster on the field.
• Magical Hats: Hides one of Yugi’s monsters in one of four hats, making it more difficult for opponents to guess where to aim at. AOE attacks do not damage these hats. They can also hide spell and trap cards, leaving a nasty surprise for any monster that picks the wrong one…
• Magical Pigeon: Yugi can return his Dark Magician Girl to his hand and summon 2 Pigeon Tokens. At the end of the turn, he can destroy all Pigeon Tokens to special summon Dark Magician Girl from his hand again.
• Magicians Unite: While Yugi controls 2 spellcasters, the 2 can be treated as a single monster with 3000 attack points.
• Magician’s Salvation: This field spell lets Yugi set Eternal Soul from his deck. Whenever he normal or special summons a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl, he can special summon the other from the graveyard.
• Magnet Reverse: Yugi can summon back any rock or machine monster that was destroyed that turn in defense mode
• Makiu the Magical Mist: Deploys a mist that soaks the enemy, making them more susceptible to electric attacks
• Marshmallon Glasses: Puts a pair of unique glasses on the enemy that only allow them to attack Marshmallon.
• Mirage Spell: When one of Yugi’s monsters is attacked, the attack is negated and its attack power is converted to life points for Yugi.
• Monster Reborn: Allows Yugi to resurrect a monster from the Graveyard. This includes any of the opponent’s monsters.
• Monster Recovery: By returning all of his cards from his field and hand to his deck, Yugi shuffles his deck and draws a new hand of five.
• Monster Reincarnation: Similar to Monster Reborn, but it brings a monster back from the graveyard to his hand
• Monster Replace: This card places Yugi’s highest attack point monster in the front to protect his weaker monsters. This later turned into the Shift Trap card.
• Multiply: Endlessly multiplies a monster with 500 or less attack points. Commonly used in tandem with Kuriboh to make an endlessly regenerating wall that can only be destroyed for good if the spell is negated or if every single Kuriboh is destroyed or removed from the field.
• Mystic Box: Switches the spots between Yugi’s monster and the enemy’s monster. The enemy’s monster is also stabbed with swords and destroyed. This effect can also be used on trap cards.
• Mystical Space Typhoon: Destroys 1 Spell or Trap the opponent has.
• Necromancy: Randomly summons four monsters from his opponents graveyard in defense position.
• Order to Charge: By tributing a Normal Monster, Yugi can destroy a monster the opponent controls.
• Owner’s Seal: Returns the control of all monsters back to their original owners
• Piercing the Darkness: When Yugi normal or special summons a Normal monster, he can draw a card. When an attack is declared using a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster, or a Ritual/Fusion/Synchro/Xyz monster that was summoned using a Normal Monster, the targeted monster gains attack equal to the opponent’s monster’s attack until the end of the turn.
• Polymerization: Allows Yugi to perform a Fusion Summon utilizing 2 compatible monsters
• Pot of Greed: BUT WHAT DOES IT DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?! It lets Yugi draw 2 cards from his deck.
• Premature Burial: By paying 700 life points, Yugi can special summon a monster from the graveyard.
• Pump Up: This spell doubles the attack points of one of Yugi’s monsters until the end phase.
• Ragnarok: While Yugi controls any 2 of Dark Sage, Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl or Magician of Black Chaos on the field, he can banish all monsters from his hand, deck and graveyard to destroy every monster the opponent controls.
• Raimei: This card deals 300 points of damage to the opponent’s life points.
• Rainbow Blessing: Kuriboh celebrates Pride Month. By tributing it, it allows all of Yugi’s monsters to attack directly for the turn.
• Rebellion: Yugi can force one of his opponent’s monsters to attack them directly
• Red Medicine: This card increases Yugi’s life points by 500.
• Remove Trap: As the name implies, it destroys a trap on the field
• Royal Straight: By tributing Queen’s Knight, King’s, Knight, and Jack’s Knight, Yugi can summon Royal Straight Slasher from his deck, hand, or graveyard
• Sage’s Stone: If Dark Magician Girl is on the field, Yugi can Special Summon Dark Magician
• Secrets of Dark Magic: This card allows Yugi to Fusion or Ritual summon a monster as long as it includes Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl.
• Shift: Switches the spots of 2 monsters
• Shining Sarcophagus: This spell card is the main engine for the Shining Sarcophagus monsters. This card cannot be destroyed by monster effects, and allows Yugi to add a Shining Sarcophagus monster from his deck to his hand. If his opponent attempts to special summon a monster from the graveyard, Yugi can discard a spell to negate that summon.
• Silent Burning: If Yugi controls a Silent Magician monster and has more cards in his hand than the opponent, each player draws until they have 6 cards in their hand. This card cannot be negated. This card can be banished from the graveyard to add a Silent Magician monster to his hand.
• Silent Sword Slash: A Silent Swordsman monster Yugi controls gains 1500 attack and defense, and until the end of the turn it’s immune to opponent’s card effects. This activation can’t be negated. By banishing this card from the graveyard, Yugi can add a Silent Swordsman from his deck to his hand.
• Soul Barter: This card lets Yugi switch a monster on the field with a monster from his graveyard.
• Soul Release: This card lets Yugi banish up to 5 cards from either graveyard.
• Soul Servant: Place 1 card on top of the Deck from your hand, Deck, or GY, that is “Dark Magician” or mentions “Dark Magician” or “Dark Magician Girl”, except “Soul Servant”. During your Main Phase: You can banish this card from your GY; draw cards equal to the number of “Palladium” monsters, “Dark Magician”, and/or “Dark Magician Girl”, with different names, on the field and in the GYs. You can only use this effect of “Soul Servant” once per turn. 
• Soul Taker: This card destroys a monster the opponent controls, though they gain 100 life points from it.
• Spell Card “Monster Reborn”: Target 1 monster in either GY; Special Summon it to your field, but for the rest of this turn, it cannot attack and neither player can activate its effects. You can only activate 1 “Spell Card “Monster Reborn”” per turn. Yeah this card is really funny.
• Spell Power Grasp: Target 1 face-up card on the field that you can place a Spell Counter on; place 1 Spell Counter on that target, then you can add 1 “Spell Power Grasp” from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate 1 “Spell Power Grasp” per turn. 
• Spell Shattering Arrow: This card destroys as many spells the opponent controls, before inflicting 500 points of damage for each one.
• Spell Textbook: By discarding every card in his hand, Yugi can draw a new card from his deck and if it’s a spell card, then he can activate it instantly
• Spider Web: Yugi adds a card that was sent to the opponent’s graveyard the previous turn, allowing him to use it for himself.
• Spiral Spear Strike: While this card is on the field, Yugi’s Gaia monsters can inflict piercing battle damage. If Gaia the Dragon Champion does this, Yugi can draw two cards before discarding one.
• Stop Defense: Forces any monsters in Defense Position to be switched into Attack Position
• Strength in Unity: If Yugi Ritual or Fusion summons using Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Dark Magician, he can banish a card the opponent controls or is in their graveyard, then add a Level 7 or higher normal monster from his graveyard to the deck.
• Strike Back: After the opponent’s battle phase, Yugi can conduct a battle phase of his own immediately even on the opponent’s turn.
• Swords of Revealing Light: Deploys magical swords of light that restrain all of the opponents monsters from attacking for a period of time
• The Claw of Hermos: Joey’s Legendary Dragon card lets Yugi turn monsters into equip cards.
• The Eye of Timaeus: His own Legendary Dragon, which combines with monsters to turn into stronger monsters. While the card game version is only with Dark Magician monsters, the anime version can fuse with any monster.
• The Eye of Truth: As long as this card is on the field, the opponent plays with their hand revealed. Once per turn, the opponent gains life points if they have a spell in their hand.
• The Fang of Critias: Kaiba’s Legendary Dragon card lets Yugi turn traps into monsters.
• The Gaze of Timaeus: The Gaze of Timaeus is a more specialized version of the dragon that can Fusion Summon via shuffling a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl to the deck, but the Fusion monster is banished at the end of the next turn.
• The Seal of Orichalcos: While he has used this in the anime and has voice lines for it in Duel Links, for obvious reasons this is only listed here for completion’s sake. 
• The Shallow Grave: Each player can select a monster in their graveyard and special summon it in face-down defense position.
• Thousand Knives: If Dark Magician is on the field, throws a bunch of knives to instantly defeat one monster. 
• Ties That Bind: This card supports Yugi’s Shining Sarcophagus monsters. If he controls Shining Sarcophagus, he can special summon 2 Level 4 or lower Shining Sarcophagus monsters with different names from his hand or deck. Though he cannot special summon from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn.
• Ties of the Brethren: Yugi pays 1000 life points in exchange for summoning two level 4 monsters from his deck
• Toy Box: When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, Yugi can send one face-down card he controls to the graveyard to destroy it. In addition, he can either add 2 Toy monsters and set them as spells and traps, or destroy two of his spells and traps.
• Tricky Spell 4: By tributing “The Tricky”, A number of Tricky Tokens (Spellcaster Type/Fire Attribute/LV5/2000 ATK/1200 DEF) take its place, up to the number of monsters the opponent controls. Tricky Tokens cannot declare an attack.
• Turn Jump: Skip 3 turns ahead
• Turn Silence: Target 1 face-up monster you control; increase its Level by 3, also if you activated this card in response to your opponent’s monster effect activation, while you control “Shining Sarcophagus” and a monster that mentions it, negate that opponent’s effect. During damage calculation, if your monster that mentions “Shining Sarcophagus” battles: You can banish this card from your GY; end the Battle Phase. You can only activate 1 “Turn Silence” per turn. 
• Underworld Circle: Yugi destroys all monsters on the field, and all monsters are banished. Once per turn, either player can special summon a monster from their graveyard, ignoring the usual summoning requirements. When the monster is destroyed, it is instead banished.
• Union Attack: For this battle, one monster Yugi controls gains the attack of all his other monsters. However, he can’t inflict damage with that monster, and all his other monsters can’t attack.
• Wonder Wand: A spellcaster monster equipped with this card gains 500 attack points, but can also be tributed to draw 2 cards.

Trap Cards

(A trap so iconic it appeared in all 8 series)

The final type of card that Yugi uses in a duel and as the name suggests, these are in fact traps meant to be sprung upon an opponent (usually in response to an action of theirs), taking them by surprise and putting them in a disadvantageous state. 

• A Feint Plan: Monsters can’t attack face-down monsters this turn.
• Ambush Shield: By sacrificing a monster, Yugi can add its defense points to another monster’s attack points
• Anti-Spell: Prevents a Spell Card from being activated by removing 2 Spell Counters
• Attack Guidance Barrier: Activate only when an opponent’s monster declares an attack. Change the attack target to a Defense Position monster you control. It gains 600 DEF until the End Phase. After that battle, end the Battle Phase. 
• Black Illusion: The opponent draws 1 card. Dark Magician is unaffected by monster effects and cannot be destroyed by battle until the end of the turn
• Castle Walls: Increase the DEF of 1 face-up monster on the field by 500 points until the end of this turn. 
• Chain Destruction: Activate only when a monster with 2000 ATK or less is Summoned. Destroy all monsters with the same name in its controller’s hand and Deck. Yugi used this to defeat the Rare Hunter with fake Exodia cards.
• Collected Power: Select 1 face-up monster on the field. Equip this monster with all face-up Equip Cards on the field. If the target of the Equip Cards is not correct, destroy the Equip Card. 
• Cross Counter Trap: During the turn this card is sent to the Graveyard by the effect of your opponent’s card, you can activate up to 1 Trap Card from your hand.
• Dark Horizon: When you take battle damage: Special Summon 1 DARK Spellcaster-Type monster from your Deck with ATK less than or equal to the battle damage you took.
• Dark Magic Mirror Force: When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, or an opponent’s monster effect is activated that would destroy a monster(s) on the field, while a monster that mentions “Shining Sarcophagus” is on the field: Destroy as many Attack Position monsters your opponent controls as possible, then if you control “Dark Magician”, inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed, also for the rest of this turn after this card resolves, the first time each monster you control that mentions “Shining Sarcophagus” would be destroyed by battle or card effect, it is not destroyed. 
• Dark Magic Retribution: Activate only when an opponent’s monster declares an attack. Special Summon 1 Spellcaster-Type monster from your Graveyard that was destroyed the previous turn, and battle with that opponent’s monster. Destroy it at the end of the Battle Phase. 
• Dark Renewal: When the opponent summons a monster, Yugi can tribute that monster and one of his own to summon a Dark Spellcaster from his graveyard.
• Dark Spiral Force: This card doubles the attack of one monster Yugi controls, though his Dark Magician can’t attack this turn.
• Destined Rivals: If you control “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” or “Dark Magician”: Negate the effects of all face-up monsters your opponent currently controls, until the end of this turn. You can only activate 1 “Destined Rivals” per turn. 
• Dig of Destiny: When Yugi takes 1000 or more points of damage, he can draw a card.
• Dimension Guardian: Activate this card by targeting 1 face-up Attack Position monster you control. It cannot be destroyed by battle. If the targeted monster leaves the field, destroy this card.
• Dimension Mirage: Activate this card by targeting 1 face-up Attack Position monster your opponent controls. At the end of the Damage Step, when it attacks a monster, but the attack target was not destroyed by the battle: You can banish 1 monster from your Graveyard; it must attack again in a row. If the targeted monster leaves the field, destroy this card.
• Dimension Reflector: When an opponent’s monster declares an attack: Activate this card by banishing 2 Spellcaster-Type monsters you control, then target that attacking monster; Special Summon this card in Attack Position as an Effect Monster (Spellcaster-Type/DARK/Level 4) with ATK and DEF equal to that face-up monster’s ATK. (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If this monster is Summoned this way: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to this card’s ATK.
• Dimension Sphinx: Activate this card by targeting 1 face-up Attack Position monster you control. Once per battle, during the Battle Step, if it is attacked by an opponent’s monster with double or more its ATK: You can inflict damage to your opponent equal to the difference between the attacking monster’s ATK and the targeted monster’s. If the targeted monster leaves the field, destroy this card.
• Disgraceful Charity: Each player can add all cards that were discarded by a Spell effect this turn from their Graveyard to their hand. As the name implies, this offsets the cost of Graceful Charity.
• Divine Wind: Activate only when damage would be inflicted by an opponent’s monster effect. Negate that damaging effect and inflict damage to your opponent equal to the same amount + 500. 
• Dust Tornado: Select and destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls. You can then Set 1 Spell or Trap Card from your hand. 
• Eternal Soul: Every “Dark Magician” in your Monster Zone is unaffected by your opponent’s card effects. If this face-up card leaves the field: Destroy all monsters you control. You can only use the following effect of “Eternal Soul” once per turn. You can activate 1 of these effects; either Special Summon 1 “Dark Magician” from your hand or GY or add 1 “Dark Magic Attack” or “Thousand Knives” from your Deck to your hand. 
• Final Geas: JIBUN WO- just kidding. If a monster(s) with a Level of 7 or higher is sent from each player’s field to the Graveyard this turn: Banish as many monsters from the Graveyards as possible, then you can Special Summon the 1 highest-Level Spellcaster-Type monster among those banished monsters to your field (your choice, if tied). This was the card Yugi used in his winning move against Kaiba in Dark Side of Dimensions.
• Fit of Rage: An Equip Trap that increases the ATK of a monster based on how much damage Yugi takes from a direct attack
• Greed: Yugi can draw 2 cards at the cost of skipping his next two draw phases
• Ground Erosion: The monsters on the opponent’s side of the field loses 500 attack points with each passing turn
• Hidden Spellbook: During your turn: Target 2 Spell Cards in your Graveyard; shuffle those targets into the Deck. 
• Labyrinth of Nightmare: Once per turn, during the End Phase: Change the battle positions of all face-up monsters the turn player controls. 
• Life Shaver: Your opponent must discard 1 card from their hand for each of your turns that this card has been Set. 
• Light of Intervention: Monster Cards cannot be Set face-down. Monsters Set in Defense Position are Normal Summoned in face-up Defense Position. 
• Magic Cylinder: Absorbs the enemy’s attack in one cylinder and fire it out back at them through the other cylinder
• Magic Jammer: Discard 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard to negate the activation of a Spell Card and destroy it. 
• Magical Arms Shield: Grab one of the opponent’s monsters and have it be the intended target of an attack
• Magician Navigation: Special Summon 1 “Dark Magician” from your hand, then Special Summon 1 Level 7 or lower DARK Spellcaster monster from your Deck. If you control “Dark Magician”, except the turn this card was sent to the GY: You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 face-up Spell/Trap your opponent controls; negate its effects until the end of this turn. 
• Magician’s Circle: You can activate this card when an opponent’s Spellcaster-Type monster attacks. Each player can Special Summon 1 Spellcaster-Type monster from their Deck. 
• Magician’s Selection: Activate only when an opponent’s monster declares an attack while you control a face-up Spellcaster-Type monster. Negate the attack, and destroy the 1 face-up monster your opponent controls that has the lowest ATK. (If it’s a tie, you get to choose.) 
• Magicians’ Combination: Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated (except during the Damage Step): You can Tribute 1 “Dark Magician” or 1 “Dark Magician Girl”; Special Summon 1 “Dark Magician” or 1 “Dark Magician Girl” from your hand or GY, with a different name from the Tributed monster, and if you do, negate that activated effect. If this face-up card is sent from the Spell & Trap Zone to the GY: You can destroy 1 card on the field. 
• Magicians’ Defense: If you control a Spellcaster-Type monster, halve any battle damage you take.
• Magnet Force: Whenever one of his rock or machine monsters is targeted by the special ability of another monster, the effect is transferred to one of his opponent’s monster
• Metalhold The Moving Blockade: When an opponent’s monster declares an attack: Activate this card by targeting any number of “Gadget” monsters you control; Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 0/DEF 0), then equip those monsters to this card. (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If Summoned this way, this card gains ATK equal to the combined ATK of the monsters equipped to it by this effect, also monsters your opponent controls cannot target monsters you control for attacks, except this one. 
• Metamorphortress: When an opponent’s monster declares an attack: Activate this card by targeting 1 monster you control; Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (Rock-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1000), then equip the targeted monster to this card. (This card is also still a Trap Card.) If Summoned this way, this card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK of the monster equipped to it by this effect, also if it attacks, change it to Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step.
• Meteorain: During this turn, when your monsters attack with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent’s Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent’s Life Points. 
• Mind Crush: Based on his famous Penalty Game, yeah. Declare 1 card name; if that card is in your opponent’s hand, they must discard all copies of it, otherwise you discard 1 random card. 
• Miracle Restoring: Remove 2 Spell Counters from your field, then target 1 “Dark Magician” or “Buster Blader” in your GY; Special Summon that target. 
• Mirage Ruler: Automatically activates when all monsters on Yugi’s side of the field are destroyed by his opponent in one turn. It brings his monsters back to the field and restores his life points back to where they were before his opponent’s turn began. Though it does cost him 1000 life points to activate it
• Mirror Force: Deploys a reflective barrier around the monster, sending the opponent’s attack back at them, whereupon all of their attack position monsters are destroyed. This reflected attack hits all opponents independently, so one monster guarding itself from the attack does not protect the rest of the monsters on the field.
• Mystical Refpanel: The effect of an enemy’s Spell card is reflected back to whoever Yugi desires
• Natural Selection: Activate only during your opponent’s turn. Destroy 1 face-up monster your opponent controls, and Special Summon 1 “Selection Token” with the same Level, Type, Attribute, ATK, and DEF as the destroyed monster. The “Selection Token” is destroyed during the End Phase. 
• Negate Attack: Creates a space-time vortex that absorbs the oncoming attack of the enemy, negating their efforts
• Nutrient Z: This card can only be activated during your opponent’s Damage Step. During this turn, if you take Battle Damage of 2000 points or more, increase your Life Points by 4000 points before the damage is subtracted from your Life Points. 
• Penalty Game!: Yeah, a card named after the Penalty Games. When your opponent has 4 cards in their hand: Activate 1 of these effects; Your opponent cannot draw during their next Draw Phase. OR. Your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap Cards this turn. 
• Pitch-Black Power Stone: Activate this card by placing 3 Spell Counters on it. Once per turn, during your turn: You can target 1 other face-up card on the field that you can place a Spell Counter on; remove 1 Spell Counter from this card, and if you do, place 1 Spell Counter on that target. When the last Spell Counter(s) is removed from this card, destroy it. 
• Reduction Barrier: This reduces an instance of damage to a tenth of what it would have originally dealt.
• Relay Soul: Activate only when your Life Points become 0. Special Summon 1 monster from your hand. You lose the Duel when the Special Summoned monster is destroyed. 
• Release from Stone: Target 1 of your banished Rock monsters; Special Summon it. When this card leaves the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is destroyed, destroy this card. 
• Reverse of Reverse: You can only activate this card when you have no cards in your hand and this is the only card you control on the field. You can activate your opponent’s face-down Spell and Trap Cards as if they were your own. 
• Rope of Life: Activate when one of your monsters is put in the Graveyard. Resurrect that monster and increase its ATK by 800. 
• Sand Fortress: Reduces a total of 3000 points of damage from direct attacks towards the player. These points decrease as the player takes damage, and when they become 0, this card is destroyed.
• Seven Tools of the Bandit: Pay 1000 Life Points. Negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it. 
• Shadow Guardsmen: A number of Guard Tokens equal to the number of opponent’s monsters appear during your opponent’s Battle Phase only. Both their ATK and DEF become 1.
• Shattered Axe: Activate this card by targeting 1 face-up monster on the field. During each of your Standby Phases: It loses 500 ATK. When that target is destroyed, destroy this card. 
• Shift: You can activate this card when your opponent designates 1 monster on your side of the field as the target of a Spell, Trap, or battle attack. Change the target to a different monster on your side of the field. 
• Soul Energy MAX!!: If you control “Obelisk the Tormentor” whose original Attribute is DIVINE in your Monster Zone: Tribute 2 other face-up monsters; destroy as many monsters your opponent controls as possible, and if you do, inflict 4000 damage to your opponent. During the Main or Battle Phase: You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 “Obelisk the Tormentor” from your Deck or GY to your hand, then immediately after this effect resolves, you can Normal Summon 1 “Obelisk the Tormentor”. You can only use each effect of “Soul Energy MAX!!!” once per turn. 
• Soul Rope: At the cost of 1000 Life Points, Yugi can summon a Level 4 or lower monster from the deck
• Soul Shield: Yugi can sacrifice half of his life points to stop an attack and end his opponent’s battle phase
• Spellbinding Circle: Immobilizes one target and makes it lose 700 ATK
• Spellbinding Illusion: Makes a monster lose ATK and negates their effects
• Spiritual Swords of Revealing Light: Summons a shield to defend against an opponent’s attack. Upon use, the Duelist pays 2000 Life Points.
• Stairway to the Underworld: Activate only when you take a direct attack from your opponent. If there is no monster on your side of the field as well, Special Summon 2 Emissaries of Darkness from your Deck.
• Stronghold the Hidden Fortress: A unique kind of Trap Card that gets summoned out as a monster. It has a high defense and has slots for the Red, Yellow and Green Gadgets.
• Stronghold the Moving Fortress: When it has all 3 Gadgets in place, the fortress can finally mobilize and gains an attack boost
• Summoning Clock: Activate only when a Spell or Trap Card is activated on your opponent’s side of the field. During each of your Standby Phases, increase this card’s Turn Counters by 1. You can Tribute this card and 1 monster to Special Summon a number of monsters from your hand equal to the number of Turn Counters. No Tributes are required for the monsters Summoned with this effect. 
• The Regulation of Tribe: Declare 1 Type of monster. Monsters of the declared Type cannot attack. Tribute 1 monster from your side of the field during each of your Standby Phases. If you do not, this card is destroyed. 
• The Revived Sky God: The activation of this card, or its effects, cannot be negated, nor can its effects be negated. Special Summon 1 “Slifer the Sky Dragon” from your GY, then each player draws until they have 6 cards in their hand. You can banish this card from your GY; place 1 “Monster Reborn” from your Deck or GY on top of your Deck, then, if a Divine-Beast monster is in your GY, draw 1 card. You can only use each effect of “The Revived Sky God” once per turn. 
• Time Seal: Skip the Draw Phase of your opponent’s next turn. 
• Ultimate Offering: By paying 500 Life Points, Normal Summon or Set 1 monster. You can only activate this effect during your turn’s Main Phase or your opponent’s turn’s Battle Phase. 
• Warrior’s Devotion: When an opponent’s monster declares a direct attack: Send 1 Warrior-Type monster from your hand to the Graveyard; that attacking monster loses ATK equal to the sent monster’s ATK.
• Zero Gravity: Switches all monsters on the field from their current battle position into the other.

Forms

Ash Ketchum

Ash-Greninja

“He’s so fucking cool” – Bananabot24

In an isolated village of ninja, conflict grew between members of the village, leading to an attack that would have left the town in ruin had it not been for a special Greninja, who saved the village. Many years passed, with no signs of this legendary hero Pokémon ever reappearing in the modern day. That is, until a certain 10 year old boy and his Greninja came along. By perfectly synching up their bodies and minds, they use Greninja’s unique ability Battle Bond in order to transform Greninja into Ash-Greninja! Ash-Greninja is in many ways a Mega Evolution without needing a Mega Stone. It uses the power of the bond between Ash and Greninja to make the ninja frog into a nearly unstoppable fighting machine. With flashes of red and black on his face that make him resemble his trainer and a giant water shuriken on his back, Ash-Greninja receives an insane stat boost, often completely turning the tides of battle. 

Ash-Greninja was able to go up against many powerful monsters like Wulfric’s Mega Abomasnow, Sawyer’s Mega Sceptile, and Alain’s Mega Charizard, who is strong enough to battle legendary Pokémon like Groudon and Kyogre. Even in a non-perfected state, they were able to go toe-to-toe with Diantha’s Mega Gardevoir. The water shuriken isn’t just for show either. Rather than multiple small shurikens, Ash-Greninja is able to throw out one big water shuriken for massive damage (depicted as using Double Team and having all the copies combine their water shurikens together). In the games, it can even throw out multiple of these giant shurikens. If Ash-Greninja charges up enough, the water shuriken that he is about to throw will begin to grow in size and glow orange, leading to massive damage on whatever poor monster it ends up hitting. However there is one key thing to mention here. Ash and Greninja are so perfectly synched up, that when Greninja feels pain and exhaustion, it reflects that onto Ash. While he was shrugging off the pain by the last few battles together, it is still a flaw that cannot be ignored.

Now, Ash-Greninja has been seemingly retconned out of existence. Battle Bond now only gives a boost to every stat after Greninja’s first KO in the games and a Journeys flashback to the Kalos League finals had a normal Greninja fight Alain’s Mega Charizard. This isn’t even mentioning the new Mega Greninja who has a lot of the same design aspects of Ash-Greninja. However, due to the sheer impact of the form, along with the fact that the anime doesn’t work if the form doesn’t exist and the fact that the opening of Ash’s final season literally features it twice, it will be used for this battle.

Mega Lucario

Mega Evolution is a special phenomenon that allows fully-evolved Pokémon to evolve even further. When a trainer activates their Key Stone with a Pokémon they’ve created an unbreakable bond with holds their respective Mega Stone (in this case, Lucarionite), the Mega Evolution transforms the Pokémon into a new battle state. While Mega Evolutions all have various different changes, Mega Lucario is one of the most straightforward; being a straight-up power and speed upgrade to regular Lucario. Ash’s Lucario makes fantastic work of this power as all his attacks gain a massive boost in strength, turning Bullet Punch into an unrelenting barrage of strikes and Aura Sphere into a massive orb of destruction.

While Mega Lucario’s unrelenting power has allowed it to defeat powerful opponents like Bea’s Gigantimax Machamp, Raihan’s Gigantimax Duraludon, Paul’s Gyrados and Leon’s Mr. Rime, no doubt its greatest performance was against Sinnoh Champion Cynthia. Mega Lucario not only defeated her Dynamax Togekiss, he defeated her Garchomp, who had gone undefeated ever since her debut as an unstoppable force of nature.

Gigantamax Pikachu

“PEEEEEEEEE!”

Not all Pokémon just simply Dynamax. Some can Gigantamax and turn into unique forms. Take for example, Ash’s Pikachu, who turns into the massive (in every sense of the word) Gigantamax Pikachu. When in this form, all of Pikachu’s moves get turned into powerful “max” versions that have additional effects upon using them, including the exclusive move of G-Max Volt-Crash! Good luck actually getting Pikachu into the pokeball to use this form though… just kidding, Ash can just throw him normally without any caveats, because sure!

• Max Steelspike: Pikachu will slam his tail to the ground, sending massive steel spikes at his opponent that erupt from the ground. This has done damage to other Gigantamax Pokémon like Drednaw and if it’s like the games, it’ll increase Pikachu’s defense by one stage.
• G-Max Volt-Crash: Pikachu fires electricity into the clouds before it comes down even stronger, blasting his opponents with a powerful bolt. It has done damage to a Gigantamax Charizard and even took out his Gigantamax Cinderace in a single hit. It can paralyze opponents on hit if it’s like the games.
• Max Strike: With Pikachu’s massive size, he’ll jump into the air before slamming into the ground, erupting energy popping up from underneath his opponent. Could decrease the speed of the opponent if it hits if it’s like the games.

Gigantamax Gengar

Pikachu isn’t the only one of Ash’s team that can Gigantamax. So can his Gengar! When in this form, Gigantamax Gengar gets the exclusive move G-Max Terror! However, this form also comes with some unique abilities of its own outside of its moves. If one stands in front of Gengar’s mouth, they will hear the voices of their loved ones calling out to them. In fact, there are rumors that its enormous mouth doesn’t lead into its body, but directly to the afterlife! Though this game only Pokédex entry is drawn into question considering that Ash’s Gengar has straight up eaten other Pokémon before while in this form.

• Max Starfall: The Fairy type Max move will rain down heavy huge looking stars, before it causes a large explosion on its opponent. It could cause misty terrain if it’s like the game, but Gengar hasn’t shown this capability.
• Max Hailstorm: Gengar will call down massive pieces of ice to the battle. It’ll cause the weather to change to hail.
• Max Ooze: Gengar will let out a massive wave of poisonous liquid at his opponent. Jets of poison can fire out, damaging them if they somehow avoid the big wave. If it’s like the games, it could raise Gengar’s special attack by one stage.
• G-Max Terror: With its powerful ghostly energy, it’ll slam large and numerous objects at his opponent. It overwhelmed Intellion’s Snipe shot and prevented him being switched out in battle, trapping him for the rest of the battle.

Yugi Muto

Yami Yugi

(“Super Special Awesome Super Sexy Transformation Sequence!”)

Once the Millennium Puzzle begins to glow, Yugi transforms as he lets the pharaoh take control. From there, Atem acts as the main operator of the body, but Yugi is able to communicate to him mentally, allowing the duo to work together in battle. While initially Yami Yugi came out during moments of great stress for Yugi, after learning about each other, they started to swap at will. Once in this form, Yami Yugi is able to use the many shadow game related abilities mentioned earlier.

Duel Armor

Gifted to Yugi & Atem during their time in the capsule monsters world, The Duel Armor allows Yugi to fuse with his Capsule Monsters. These fusions grant Yugi the abilities of the monsters he fuses with. Though excessive use of the armor can weaken Yugi severely.

• Dark Magician Armor: It’s Dark Magician Armor.
• Magician of Black Chaos Armor: The evolved form of Yugi’s dark magician armor, attained by eating a golden apple. This armor uses Magician of Black Chaos’s Chaos Scepter Blast
• Black Luster Soldier Armor: It’s Black Luster Soldier Armor. A less cool version of a certain something later.
• Blue-Eyes White Dragon Armor: This armor allows Yugi to fly and is capable of lifting large monsters and summoning lightning
• Armor of Unity (Seiyaryu, Thunder Dragon, Curse of Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon): This armor has several monsters fused into one, being used during Yugi & Atem’s clash with Alexander the Great (Don’t worry about it.) 

Pharaoh Atem

Atem’s original form, where throughout the franchise he’s occasionally seen in his ancient pharaoh garbs. He looks fly as hell with it.

Dragon Master Knight

To combat Zorc, Atem used the Millennium Puzzle, Millennium Scale, and DiaDhank (a kind of ancient Duel Disk) to combine his spirit with Seto Kaiba, Priest Seto and Kisara to form the Dragon Master Knight. Atem dons the Black Luster Soldier Armor (not unlike his Duel Armor) and rides Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon into battle. While unable to defeat Zorc, he was able to create a blast that could be seen from orbit.

Feats

Ash Ketchum

Overall

• Became the very best like no one ever was (even if he doesn’t agree)
• Became the Orange Islands, Alola League and World Champion, the latter of which made the news (like, literally in real life too)
• Travelled across the land, searching far and wide and became close friends with many people including Serena and Dawn (best female companions btw)
• Conquered the Kanto Battle Frontier
• Defeated Gary, Paul, Gladion, Sawyer, Steven, Cynthia, Leon, and many other trainers
• Thwarted Team Rocket’s plans to steal Pikachu every single time
• Helped save the world many times across all the regions
• Helped and earned the respect of many legendary Pokémon
• His series lasted for 25 years, holy shit
• Accomplished all of this despite only being 10 years old (no, we don’t know how)
• Childhood icon

Power

• Pikachu dispersed a huge storm above Mount Tensei (139.1 Megatons of TNT)
  • This happened early on in Ash’s journey in the I Choose You continuity
• Pikachu, Turtwig, and Buizel’s combined attacks destroys a giant rock bigger than a cruise ship 
• Pikachu tossed a Milotic despite the huge size difference
• Pikachu’s Volt Tackle destroyed a mech with ease
• Pikachu not only survived a Snorlax falling on top of him, he was able to lift it high into the air with Iron Tail
• Pikachu’s 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt completely overwhelmed Electivire’s ability to absorb lightning
• Pikachu’s Electro Ball completely destroyed Giovanni’s mech
• Charizard lifted Gary’s Blastoise and tossed him with his Seismic Toss
• Charizard slammed a Ninetales across the forest
• Ash comes up with a counter to Toxic Spikes, having Infernape use Dig despite fighting a Flying type. Using Flare Blitz underground causes a ginormous fire explosion that hits Ninjask in the air and burns away all the Toxic Spikes 
• Ash-Greninja sliced through Mega Charizard X’s flamethrower

Speed

• Ash has somehow managed to dodge multiple Hoopa Unbound’s punches by swerving out of the way
• Ash just casually jumped over a robot arm wall jumped off a tree and climbed onto a mech
• Ash swims at a speed comparable to a high speed submarine HOW
• Grotle learned Rock Climb and was able to catch up with a rocket propelled Team Rocket Ba- DID HE JUST JUMP 100 FEET TO POP THE BALLOON?
• Ash runs so far he makes a dust trailer AND NEARLY REACHES THE OTHER SIDE OF A RAVINE WITH HIS JUMP
• Pikachu has directly matched natural cloud to ground lightning
• Pikachu has parkoured between multiple falling logs that they appear to be in slow motion
• Pidgeotto dodges blasts from wild Tentacool, which are confirmed to be refracted light.
• Charizard has dodged multiple attacks from Entei
• Charizard has intercepted Mewtwo who was falling from orbit
• Greninja appeared FTE behind Charizard and blitzed him
• Ash himself can move in perfect sync with his Greninja
• Ash-Greninja dodged several falling meteors from Draco Meteor
• Rockruff caught up to an Alolan Diglett, which should be comparable to their Kanto counterpart which moves at lightspeed

Durability

• Ash point blank tanks and shrugs off a max power Pikachu Thunderbolt, which wrecks a Team Rocket mech and causes it to collapse and explode
  • Really Ash does survive Pikachu’s Thunderbolt like every other episode somehow
• Ash shook off a Psybeam from Espeon, which injured a Latias later in the movie
• Was sent flying from a kick into the horizon from Mudsdale and was just fine after
• Survives a really long fall…twice in a row
• Ash shrugs off being hit by a giant robot arm no issue
• Ash takes a Slash for Chimchar and gets up fine right after
• Ash holds back raging Chimchar’s Blaze
• Pikachu took a direct hit from Leon’s Charizard’s Fire Blast and was able to keep standing
• Charizard took a super effective Hydro Pump to the face from Blastoise and looked just more annoyed than anything

Yugi Muto

Overall

• Became the King of Games
• Successfully became a game creator
• Rediscovered Atem’s true name
• Defeated Seto Kaiba, Joey Wheeler, Maximillion Pegasus, Yami Marik, Yako Tenma, Dartz, Anubis, Yami Bakura, Aigami and many other duelists
• Yugi defeated Atem in their final duel, allowing Atem to pass on to the afterlife
• Gave Jaden Yuki the Winged Kuriboh, while later sending him back in time to duel his younger self
• Teamed up with Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo to stop Paradox
• Saved the world numerous times by playing a Children’s Card Game
• Friends with Hellboy
• Childhood icon

Power

• Giant Soldier of Stone attacks the moon
• Slifer the Sky Dragon and Obelisk the Tormentor’s clash creates a big energy shockwave
• Yugi summoning The Eye of Timaeus is able to disrupt a tornado, then disperse a massive storm over Domino City
• The Egyptian Gods part clouds
• Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight’s attack is enough to create a massive blinding light that can be seen from miles away.
• The Egyptian Gods defeat the Great Leviathan, whose power is so great it would destroy both the Human and Duel Monsters Worlds.
• Atem & Mahad destroy corrupted Aigami, stopping the universe from being pulled into a lower dimension
• Holactie created the Infinite Multiverse (See Cosmology)

Speed

• Yami Yugi evades a knife attack
• Yugi evades lasers (manga & anime)
  • The game is modeled after laser tag and involves shooting them, and the trained mercenaries are emphasized to be firing real lasers
• Kuriboh reacts to and blocks Shining Abyss’ beam
• Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts moves faster than the eye can see
• Dark Magician Girl evades beams from Chaos Max Dragon
• Magician of Black Chaos evades Omnidirectional Lasers
• The Egyptian Gods fly above the clouds in seconds
• Holactie created the infinite multiverse (Immeasurable, see Cosmology)
• Pharaoh Atem travels from the afterlife to the earth (Immeasurable, Debatable, see Cosmology)

Durability

• Yugi gets beaten up. A lot. (These were all cut out of the English Dub.)
  • In the above gif he falls on his Millenium Puzzle. Ouch.
• Yugi takes an arrow to the chest from Bowganian’s Crossbow of Pain
• Survived being hit by multiple Hinotama meteors and a Meteor of Destruction (Manga version)
• Yugi jumps off a cliff on horseback and then jumps off said horse mid-air
• Rafael throws Yami Yugi off a helicopter for Joey and Tristan to catch him
• Yugi and Téa survive a train derailing and falling off a cliff
• Yugi takes three attacks at once from Aigami
• While his soul was trapped in a miniature figure, Yugi survives a super critical hit from Zorc
• Yugi gets blasted by The Winged Dragon of Ra

Scaling

Header and Yugi images by Aqua, Ash images by Igneous

Ash Ketchum

Wild Pokémon

It should come as no surprise that the World Champion should easily scale above any sort of Pocket Monster you can find in the wild. Ash has been fighting against them for his entire career, no elaboration should be needed here.

• Many Pokémon in the anime have Pokedex entries stating that their bodies or general hide are tougher than pretty much any metal or material on Earth
  • Steelix’s Pokedex entry says its body is harder than any metal
• Wild Shiftry can make 100 feet per second winds
• Wild Diglett move at the “Speed of Light” (the number given is actually a THOUSANDTH faster than SoL) [FTL]
• Skarmory can fly at 300 kilometers per hour 
• Gardevoir can summon black holes with ease (and Professor Oak straight up calls it that) (5.69 Yottatons – 0.51 FOE of TNT)
• An old folk tale says Machamp can move a mountain with one arm 
• Ponyta can jump 300 meters in a single bound 

Legendary Pokémon

The strongest Pokémon you can find across the world, Legendary Pokémon. These mythical (we’re counting them for this section too) beasts possess incredible power, but Ash is able to keep up with them all the same. Ash has defeated the Regis in the Battle Frontier, who were able to push back the mighty Regigigas. He’s also competed with trainers like Alain and Steven, who’s Charizard and Metagross were able to push back Primal Groudon and Kyogre. With Alain on a separate occasion evenly fighting a 50% Zygarde. Safe to say, Ash should definitely be able to keep up with most of Pokémon’s titanic threats…

• Regigigas can tow continents with ropes (1.663 – 7.282 Teratons of TNT)
• The Megalith was going to surface wipe the planet and Zygarde 100% destroyed it (183.24 Petatons of TNT)

…but there’s an elephant in the room that’ll take some extra time to address: Dialga and Palkia. These Pokémon uphold space and time, and are able to fight on cosmic levels. However, their greater feats does not actually seem to separate them from the strength of other legendaries. 

In Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, fellow Legendary Pokémon like Rayquaza are able to keep up and even outpace Dialga and Palkia’s relative, Giratina. With a direct showing in addition to this where Rayquaza, the Lati-Twins, and Pikachu working together to block a combined attack from Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Kyurem, and Hooppa Unbound. Heck, even Team Rocket’s Wobbuffet could withstand a Giratina Shadow Ball. The premise of the movie with Hoopa Unbound summoning Legendary Pokémon for our heroes to combat with help from other Legends simply would not make sense if the Creation Trio of Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina were so much stronger than every other Legendary, and showings from Pikachu and Wobbuffet solidify this.

Additionally, during the Diamond and Pearl series where Dialga and Palkia are more highlighted, we also see the Lake Trio: Azelf, Uxie, and Mespirit. They’re able to block Dialga’s bloodlusted Roar of Time (Protect in the anime can be broken if an attack is too strong), and Azelf destroyed a Sinnoh consuming Black Hole that Dialga and Palkia created. This is important because Hunter J was able to take Psybeams from Azelf and Uxie on different occasions, and we know that they had no reason to hold back given that Mespirit and Uxie end up getting J killed by their Future Sights crashing her ship and making her drown later on. 

So with the extended explanation out of the way, scaling Ash at his best to Dialga and Palkia is really no different than scaling him to other high level legendaries. Heck, even Cynthia’s Garchomp has been able to clash with Palkia’s Spatial Rend and Ash has defeated her at the end of the series. The untouchable gods are not as untouchable as they can sometimes be claimed to be, and thus Ash should be able to compare to their best feats

• Dialga and Palkia were creating a universe due to Cyrus’ instruction
  • This W.I.P universe had multiple galaxies form in mere seconds
• Dialga and Palkia’s manifestation into reality helped form existence, as “Time began to spin, and space began to expand.” (See Cosmology)
• Arceus’ sent out shockwaves that travelled to the main universe from waking up. Logically, his attacks should be faster especially with his projectiles and the creation trio have intercepted and reacted to him. (4.1 Quintillion times FTL)
  • He also moved Dialga and Palkia’s dimensions together to collide (404.1 Quadrillions times FTL)

Yugi Muto

Duel Monsters Cast

“They battled many duelists to reach this point. Me, Kaiba, Marik, Bakura, Mai, Weevil, Mako, Pegasus… Their souls – along with many other duelists they faced – honed their decks. So a duelist must also fight for them.”

The title of “King of Games” wasn’t just handed to him, he fought for it. He’s regarded as the best duelist of this era and has won against all the major threats. Even Pegasus admits that Yugi is the top 1 duelist and he’s the literal creator of the game they play. Safe to say, Yugi would be comparable to everyone here.

• Kaiba states Blue Eyes White Dragon can “illuminate Infinite Darkness”
• Joey tanks a hit from Ra
  • According to Yami Marik and Yami Yugi, Joey should have died from the attack as it should’ve completely burned up his soul. Yami Marik says that Joey’s emotional strength is stronger than Ra’s power.
• Joey, Tristan, and Solomon dodge sunlight beams 
• Zorc can cause a solar eclipse with the moon with his power (5.46 Yottatons of TNT)

GX Cast

(“Get your game on!”)

Yugi dueled and fought alongside Yu-Gi-Oh GX’s protagonist Jaden Yuki, infamously dueling him in GX’s final episode. Throughout GX, Yugi is constantly referred to as the greatest duelist, meaning scaling should be applicable. In addition to that, both of them teamed up with Yusei Fudo of Yu-Gi-Oh 5D’s in the Bonds Beyond Time movie

• Jaden tanks an attack from Dark Magician
• Jaden is hit by Double Magic Illusion
• Jaden is hit by Blue Eyes White Dragon’s Burst Stream of Destruction
• Jaden tanks an attack from the Winged Dragon of Ra
• Jaden intercepts a satellite laser
• Elemental Hero Neos flies out of a Galaxy to the Earth
• Glow Neos destroys a relativity field sending shockwaves throughout the universe
• Elemental Hero Neos traverses space to earth
• Glow Neos dodges satellite lasers
• Shining Flare Wingman flies into orbit
• Prince Ojin tanks a satellite laser
• The Light of Destruction is born, traversing space to earth in seconds
• Cyber End Dragon “transcends time” to be summoned

However, there is a much bigger elephant in the room that we will need to address, Yubel. One of the most infamous feats in the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise is Yubel using Super Polymerization to spread light across 12 universes (578 Quadrillion – 6.284 Quintillions times FTL [debatable high end]) by fusing 12 monsters into the “Super Fusion God.” Which would merge 12 universes into one. Keep in mind that Duel Spirits and cards are summoned through the spirit energy/duel energy of a duelist. Yubel had to have the spiritual energy to summon the super fusion god to do so to begin with.

Yugi should directly scale to this feat, as Super Polymerization was still within Jaden’s deck by the end of GX when he dueled a past version of Yugi & Yami, of which Yubel stated that Yugi’s deck was still a threat due to the presence of the egyptian god cards. This is followed up on within Yugi’s duel with Jaden, as his entire deck and spiritual presence was considered a direct match to Jaden & Yubel. With monsters like Dark Magician and Elemental Hero Neos being directly compared to one another. This implies that Yugi’s deck (and therefore spiritual energy) is considered enough of a threat to match even 12 monsters combined into one fusion god. 

5D’s Cast

(“Let’s rev it up!”)

Yugi fought alongside 5D’s series protagonist Yusei Fudo within Bonds Beyond Time. Given Yugi is still considered to be the greatest duelist of Yusei’s time in Bonds Beyond Time, scaling should once again be applicable.

• Crow’s monster can intercept missiles
• Jack and Rex’s clash blows off a chunk of Seiba
• Yusei and Sect’s final clash creates a large beam of that shoots upwards into the sky
• Crow is able to destroy Goodwin’s Moon Dragon Quilla by ramming into it with his Duel Runner
• Goodwin, boosted by both the Crimson Dragon marks and the Dark Signer marks, states he could recreate the entire world to his liking, with Yusei, Jack and Crow managing to hang in there against him in a Duel
• The Dark Signers were the true cause in destroying Grieger’s hometown, destroying the entire place and where a town once stood, was now just a massive crater. Yusei and the gang are able to fight and defeat the Dark Signers
• Primo creates a tornado
• Yusei Accel Synchro Summons Shooting Star Dragon, dissipating the tornado and splitting clouds in the process
• Signer marks manifest barriers in result of shockwaves that expanded across the universe
• Antimony creates a space that holds a sun and space around him for him and Yusei to have a Turbo Duel
• They duel next to the sun, Yusei screams in pain occasionally (still takes it like a champ though)
• Shooting Star Dragon interacts with the flames of the sun to attack Metal Skeleton
• Antimony Delta Accel Synchros, causing the Sun to explode and collapse into a black hole.  Yusei also feeling the effects of a sun exploding right next to him
• Yusei and Antimony outpacing the black hole on their Duel Runners
• Yusei soars into the sky, splitting clouds, going above the clouds close to space

Cosmology

As a quick heads up, do pay extra attention with this section. It’s important for figuring out upper limits, but some stuff we are mentioning just for completion and potential arguments. Just because a layer of cosmology is mentioned does not mean automatic scaling for either Ash or Yugi. More context when we get to Verdict talk.

Pokémon / Ash Ketchum

Primary Macrocosm

There is of course the main universe of Pokémon that Ash and his friends live in represented by the bottom sphere in image above, but there exist multiple more within the macrocosm. It’s supported by Giratina’s reverse/distortion world. There also exists Palkia’s and Dialga’s dimensions that they both reside in. This is important as they all exist in a bulk space/macrocosm where Palkia controls/stabilizes all of space (and Dialga all of time). This would make this at least a 4x universal feat. There also exists Arceus’ space which is located in the middle, but it’s unclear if the main creation trio would scale to it.

Reflection Cave

In the Kalos cave known as Reflection Cave, mirrors within the cave act as portals to other worlds opposite of ours. By presenting strong feelings or desires in front of a mirror, one can access the space between worlds and enter another, but only before sunset, with the “wobbling” of the mirrors’ surface being the doorway that connects the worlds housed within Reflection Cave. According to legend and as told to the audience/Ash by Clemont, “Inside the mirrors in that cave, there are as many alternate worlds as there are mirrors,”. While we personally only see the world Ash and friends inhabit as well as one very similar, we get a brief glimpse towards the end of the dedicated episode to the vast amount of mirrors within the space between worlds, suggesting this to be true. There is no stated number of mirrors within Reflection Cave, however this would suggest that there is a vast amount of worlds connected to by the cave, given the large number of mirrors seen throughout the episode both in the cave and in the space between worlds.

Ultra-Space

In “Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon”, Ash learns of the existence of Ultra Space with the help of the Aether Foundation. This interdimensional space acts like a “hub dimension” that connects to other worlds, timelines, and planets. To traverse through Ultra Space, one needs to be able to open Ultra Wormholes. Most Ultra Beasts are capable of this, and even the Ultra Beast Kartana can directly slice space apart to open Ultra Wormholes.

According to Burnet’s analysis on Ultra Space, these Ultra Wormholes distort space and time when opened, causing one world to be connected to another. It’s even said in legends that Necrozma came from Ultra Space and birthed light on the Alola region, as well as being the “brightest thing in the world”. Many worlds are connected to Ultra Space that can be accessed by Ultra Wormhole. Of note, there are; Poipole’s world, a world each for the various Ultra Beasts encountered in the show, and even alternate timelines like Dia’s world. Dia himself explains that there are parallel worlds that each branch out from choices, where Ash came from one of them by pure accident.

Specifically, Dia says this: “Suppose you reach a crossroads. Call this path A, and this B. You’d like to take both paths, but you can’t go both ways at once. But if you could, these paths would be parallel worlds. The paths would split up further after that, and even further still later on, giving birth to more and more parallel worlds.” 

From Dia, we learn that Ultra Space operates on MWI (Many Worlds Interpretation). This means that for every choice, a new universe will emerge from the other choice, creating more and more worlds, and Ultra Space can connect to all of them as a “hub dimension” or nexus that encompasses them all.  What this would mean for the cosmology is that at minimum, the cosmology would be Low Multiversal, and on the higher end, the number of worlds created could be Unquantifiably High into Multiversal.

Yu-Gi-Oh / Yugi Muto

The Twelve Universes

In Season Three of Yu-Gi-Oh GX, the main cast find themselves traversing twelve “dimensions.” These dimensions are kept separate naturally, with characters like Yubel using cards like “Super Polymerization” to try and fuse these twelve “dimensions” together. These “dimensions” include the main universe containing the earth, the duel monsters spirit world, and many others. While the series sticks with descriptions of “dimensions” it is likely that GX is referring to Universes instead, as they are much more consistently portrayed as individual universes that the characters travel to, rather than higher dimensional planes.

The Wider Multiverse

In an interview with Yu-Gi-Oh series mangaka Kazuki Takahashi in regards to the “Dark Side of Dimensions” film, Takahashi described the opening sequence of the film as the creation of the multiverse. Takahashi’s statement implies that the Yu-Gi-Oh multiverse contains infinite universes with parallel versions of ourselves existing within these universes infinitely. Implying that the Yu-Gi-Oh cosmology contains an infinitely expanding multiverse. 

This can be expanded further with Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links, which contains gateways to other worlds. These include all main line Yu-Gi-Oh series as well as a separate world for Dark Side of Dimensions. In a sequel event for bonds beyond time, Manga Yugi & Atem meet the anime versions of Jaden and Yusei, connecting the manga and anime cosmologies together, along with every series following 5Ds.

It is highly likely that Holactie created the Yu-Gi-Oh cosmology. When interviewed, Takahashi stated “I aimed for a presentation where the universe seems born from “light and darkness.”  A common theme associated with Holactie “The Creator God of Light.” Takahashi did state “It also carries the message that the universe definitely didn’t start from a single card (laughs).” But this is in reference to the idea that cards are merely creations based on the Egyptian Duel Spirits found on ancient hieroglyphs. A Card didn’t create the cosmology, a Duel Spirit (in that of Holactie) did.

The Afterlife

In the TRANSCEND GAME prequel manga to the Dark Side of Dimensions film, Seto Kaiba on his quest to duel Atem, discovers that the afterlife is achieved through a “Dimensional Ascension” that is later again described as a higher plane of existence by Sera, a member of Shadi’s group of individuals with the power of the “Prana.” Spirits such as Shadi & by extension Atem are described to be highly conscious beings that “Transcend Time and Space.” This would imply that the Afterlife (otherwise referred to as the “Netherworld”) is a fifth dimensional plane of existence. 

These are also accessible to the god cards (as well as Holactie) as their duel spirits traversed to the afterlife after Atem’s defeat. 

Weaknesses

Ash Ketchum

While obviously a strong trainer, Ash does still have his shortcomings. His more offensive style can occasionally cause vulnerabilities and/or slip ups, and while that lost ground can be regained, that’s still a hurdle to jump over. Ash’s Pokémon also have their own individual faults here or there, but share the general trait of miscellaneous type weaknesses both offensively and defensively. Ash’s creativity also can struggle to get him out of bad spots, if the bad effect is massive enough to where he loses way too much ground to make a comeback possible.

Yugi Muto

“It should have been me! Not him! It’s not fair!”

Both Yugis are not invincible and not guaranteed to win every single duel. They have lost a few times before to Kaiba, Joey (possibly), Rafael and each other (in fact, Atem’s win-loss ratio is the second worst of the Master Duel era protags, with only Yuma doing worse than him). It is also possible to separate both Yugi and Atem from each other, such as early on in the manga where Yugi lost his soul after losing to Imori in a game before Atem took over. Or in Waking the Dragons when Yugi sacrifices himself in place of Atem to be the Orichalcos victim. It has also been stated that if Yugi’s own soul were to ever be destroyed, Atem’s own soul would also die as well.

Before The Verdict

Ash Ketchum

Nothing, actually. Nice and easy!

Yugi Muto

Are the Monsters real?

“Kaiba, you need to believe that Duel Monsters are real. But science hasn’t advanced enough to prove it. If you think like that, things aren’t weird.” “That’s a silly theory, but let’s test it.”

Several times throughout the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, Yugi and many others have made his monsters real, typically during Shadow Games as seen in Marik’s Battle City shadow games and in the Millennium World arc, where he summoned Ka (Monsters) through the use of his Ba (life gauge) Mahad merged with his spirit to make Dark Magician, and Kisara’s spirit is literally the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. There have been several instances throughout the show that the power of the Shadow Games can bring monsters to life, and the Atlantean powers in Season 4 have had a similar effect. 

Later seasons even justify things further with other methods. While we’re not looking at ARC-V using cards to wage literal wars, both GX and 5D’s have several examples as well. In GX, Monster Spirits are real, and Jaden frequently summons them using his power as the Supreme King. Even outside of that, several Duel Monsters like Dark Magician Girl, Jinzo and of course, Yubel enter reality and summon themselves in their duels. As in, they’re both dueling and playing the card versions of themselves at the same time. In the 5D’s era, Signers and Psychic Duelists are able to make their duels actually happen, and they can hurt and even kill actual people in the real world. Duelists like Sayer are even able to conjure actual Spell Cards in real life and in his case, he materializes Psychic Sword. Of course, Yugi doesn’t have the same exact powers as the above mentioned examples, but this at least gives more credence to the idea that Monsters (and by extension Spells and Traps) can work in the real world.

Funnily enough it is also widely consistent that even Holograms in the series affect their environments and duelists. This is mainly seen in the anime, with several duels in GX involving Jaden and the cast getting launched or hit by Holographic monsters. In Yugi’s second duel with Kaiba, he backed Yugi into a corner by standing on the edge of a castle wall, as destroying Kaiba’s monster would create enough knockback to send Kaiba plummeting to his doom. No matter what way you cut it, Yugi’s monsters are very, very real.

Trading Card Game Mechanics

Naturally, with the popularity of the anime came the release of the hit trading card game that also took the world by storm. The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game has evolved ever since its initial debut and even to this day, it’s still receiving new rules, cards and mechanics to keep the spirit alive and running. But what does it all mean in the context of a Death Battle? Should Yugi conform to things like a banlist or does he automatically lose if he ever ran out of cards to draw?

Frankly, most TCG mechanics need to be tossed out. The anime and manga continuities of the Yu-Gi-Oh series tend to ignore or outright break the rules of the trading card game several times. Given this is also a battle between Yugi’s Monsters & Ash’s Pokémon, any arbitrary duel rules will not carry over.

Any Tribute/Summoning should be ignored as they are ignored several times in the series, Monsters like Summoned Skull usually require tributing before summoning, yet Yugi did so frequently during duelist kingdom. Infact, in the first duel against Kaiba, Yugi summoned Gaia The Fierce Knight, who also requires tributes. This is especially apparent when it comes to the Egyptian Gods, as Yami was capable of resurrecting all three gods at once in his duel with Dartz, and he once summoned Slifer through the magic of the puzzle. Given this is also far from a traditional duel, these arbitrary rules about summoning should not be taken into account.

Attack and Defense points should not be used literally, as they are only ever relevant in the context of fighting another duelist within the card game itself. Duel Spirits are constantly shown to be on an equal level of power and speed generally when ignoring the card game mechanics. Even if we included them as a literal matter of fact power scale, Yugi has cards to buff and debuff his monsters to similar ranges anyway. We will however keep note that the God Cards, and especially Holactie are constantly referred to as the strongest cards within Yugi’s deck and the entirety of duel monsters.

Another important aspect of this debate is the traditional drawing per turn that a duelist does. Given this fight is far from turn-based, we are throwing out drawing as an actual factor in the debate, as this is only relevant in regards to the card game. Yugi has abilities like Destiny Draw anyway so he can always choose the card he needs at any moment.

Anything based around the actual meta or banlist is pointless, as there is no tier list or game rules for a battle like this. Yugi will be able to use Forbidden cards like Pot of Greed, and cards like Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon will be treated like any other card.

The post-5D’s era &
Duel Links

(Firewall Dragon has been taken out back and shot)

The Yu-Gi-Oh! anime as a franchise has continued well after Yugi and Atem finished their stories. While we’ve mentioned GX and 5D’s, the franchise has only gone to even further insane and absurd lengths. ZEXAL has the reality warping Numeron Code, ARC-V has a dimension being split apart into four, VRAINS has the intricate and unknown depths of Link VRAINS, SEVENS has the mind-manipulation of Monster Reborn and GO RUSH!! has the protagonist Yudias being basically Superman.

However, everything simply does not apply to Yugi and Atem. For VRAINS, SEVENS and GO RUSH!!, all three are distinctly alternate universes with zero ties to the main timeline (with SEVENS and GO RUSH!! being the new Rush Duel format and sharing a continuity). While ARC-V has the alternate versions of previous characters and several homages to past seasons, there are no direct ties to the main timeline. ZEXAL is where things are a bit more muddy, as there’s evidence that the events of Duel Monsters and GX both occurred, but 5D’s is oddly absent, implying a split timeline. Even then, ZEXAL doesn’t have any direct ties to the Duel Monsters era, making the potential connection moot as Yugi and Atem have not interacted with it.

Duel Links is where things get a bit interesting, as it has 9 different worlds (the 8 shows and Dark Side of Dimensions) and gameplay allows cross-series duels. However, the actual story never has any meaningful interactions between them. An event based on Bonds Beyond Time did allow interactions between Duel Monsters, GX and 5D’s (which we can take into account), but that’s the full extent. Ghost Girl’s event in the VRAINS world did allow the cast to glimpse into the other worlds, but not interact. The only other instances of cross-series interactions are throwaway gags, like the ARC-V cast getting stuck in the other worlds before arriving proper (Yugo had an encounter with Sector Security from 5D’s, and Celina won a one-sided duel against Weevil Underwood). 

But as of recent, there are several more hints towards a greater narrative bringing the worlds together. For some odd reason, Duel Links allows characters to gain the memories of other timelines, such as the anime version of Pegasus being aware of how he’s dead in the manga timeline. Formerly villainous characters like Marik Ishtar and the Barians are reverted back to their evil personas, with Marik noting he has no control over it. According to the cast of VRAINS, Duel Links seems to respond to the memories of characters, being capable of bringing characters back from death (Rex Goodwin as a Dark Signer, Iliaster’s Four Stars of Destruction) and complete erasure/deletion (Yami Marik, Noah Kaiba, the Ignis), or even managing to split those that share a body (the Supreme King, Yubel, Yuya and Zuzu’s counterparts) or have darker personas as separate beings (Dark Signer Kalin and Carly) as long as the memories of those that desire to see them again or past regrets are strong enough. Unfortunately as of this writing, the story of Duel Links is still ongoing and we have yet to learn how this would apply to Yugi and Atem. Anything suggested would be entirely theoretical.

The various Yu-Gi-Oh!
video games

So, there have been a lot of different video games for Yu-Gi-Oh! over the years, and you must be wondering why they’ve barely been discussed in the blog outside of things that directly link to the Manga or Anime. And there’s a very clear reason for that. It’s all either alternate timelines, non-canon or a dueling simulator. Seriously, even the games that have you play as one of the main characters, either rehash the anime beat for beat, with very minor differences, or it’s completely altered and thus unusable for Yugi here.

And even if any of them WERE applicable in here, there is nothing that should outscale the Manga or Anime or really even get close to them. At best, you have supporting evidence for where Yugi/Atem scales.

Both

Non-Standard Options

We mentioned it before, but there are some Pokémon and cards that were listed just for the sake of completion. Thus before heading into Verdict talk, we feel it’s important to clarify which listed options will be excluded.

Ash is pretty simple, in that his non-standard pocket monsters are the ones he’s given away or let go outright. Butterfree is iconic for being let go, only returning for a quick reunion with Ash at the end of Journeys. Squirtle has been let go to reunite with the Squirtle Squad, though he’s more than willing to return to help Ash out whenever they cross paths. Primeape was outright given away shortly after his debut, so Ash didn’t even use him much. Larvitar stayed with Ash for a very small amount of time before being united with its parent Tyranitar. Aipom was traded with Dawn half-way through Ash’s Sinnoh journey and has since left Dawn to pursue an incredible ping pong career. Goodra returned to its wetlands to protect them, though this is a weird case where it returned to battle with Ash for cases like the Kalos League so it’s probably fine to use.

A quick defense case for a Pokémon Ash should get though is Solgaleo. While he didn’t ever catch Nebby in a Pokeball formally, he did hang out with the cosmic lion a lot and raised it. Additionally unlike someone he raised like Larvitar, Solgaleo has come back to visit and help Ash on multiple occasions. Think of it like Larvitar being able to travel through space and time so he always visits on weekends. 

On Yugi’s side, while a lot of cards were listed, most were only done so for the sake of completion. Generally speaking, if it’s something he doesn’t use in the animes or manga, you can be pretty sure that it’s not something just available to him. This means he won’t be bringing stuff out like the newest Dark Magician Fusion monsters or things like Eternal Soul. Most of those cards usually tend to come out after any anime or manga that features our spiky haired hero (because Konami loves the nostalgia tax) and he’s not seen using these, so do not expect things like Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon to make a grand appearance. Similarly, any of the other Extra Deck types like Synchro and Xyz are not available to Yugi. 

Another card that isn’t really standard for him is the Seal of Orichalcos which both Yugis used in Season 4. A major plot point with this card is Rafael having given the Seal of Orichalcos to Yami with the effect of Exchange and tempting him into playing it (it’s not even Yami’s card). When Yami is pushed into a corner, he gives in and plays the evil card and it results in him spiraling into a rage fit that sought out to win by any means necessary, including disrespecting all of his monsters. The end result was Timaeus not being allowed to be used, all of his monsters being angry with him, Yami losing the duel and as a result of the Seal of Orichalcos being played, he would’ve lost his soul had Yugi not intervened and taken his place instead. Naturally, he has avoided ever using this card ever again, because it reminds him of his mistake that got his partner taken away and it would be extremely out of character for any of them to play this card ever again.

Speaking of Waking the Dragons, we will be allowing the Legendary Dragons and Legendary Knights of Atlantis even though they were only used during Season 4 and the cards disappeared at the end. Not only has Timaeus become an iconic ally to the Dark Magician line, Yugi could theoretically call upon the Knights at any time as they returned to the spirit world with Dark Magician Girl. The only small hiccup he’d face is that he can’t use the Critias and Hermos fusions that combine with cards exclusive to Kaiba and Joey’s decks (such as Doom Virus Dragon or Rocket Hermos Cannon).

Capsule Monsters has a questionable canonicity, being a 4Kids commissioned side season for their dub of Yu-Gi-Oh (there was no Japanese release, though it is officially listed as “Yu-Gi-Oh! ALEX”), even with its inclusion for completion’s sake, any weapons obtained during capsule monsters (such as the Duel Armor) were never used outside of the Capsule Monsters world. In fact Yugi lost all of his Capsule Monsters material after the events of the series. Feats performed by monsters should still be legitimate along with the main cast, so they will be mentioned, but Yugi will not have access to weaponry like the Duel Armor and its various forms.

Last but not least is Exodia the Forbidden One. The monster that Yugi summoned in order to defeat Kaiba in one of the most iconic moments in the entire franchise. You would think this legendary beast would be one of Yugi’s most powerful monsters and one he should have in this fight. Well in reality, only one of these is kind of true. The reason why Yugi shouldn’t have Exodia is very simple: Weevil threw the pieces out into the ocean. Now, if Yugi had used Exodia for an entire season and it was a clear part of his deck, it would be fine to include the monster. But that’s not the case. Yugi used Exodia one time in his duel with Kaiba. After that, Yugi lost to Pegasus without ever drawing the monster. Then after that, he went onto the boat to the Duelist Kingdom and lost the cards. In terms of the anime, Yugi used Exodia in the first episode, didn’t draw a single piece in the second episode, and lost most of the pieces in the third one (Joey managed to save at least 2). 

This is with over 200 episodes by the way. Later episodes and seasons show that the Exodia pieces are not unique, and other people can have copies of the cards. So Yugi could have gotten new copies of the cards, but chose not to. Even if you did give Yugi the pieces of Exodia, the instant win rule is only for the actual card game and nothing else. In terms of raw power, Exodia is weaker than the Egyptian Gods. It appears to fight Zorc, but is immediately one shot (though admittedly it was empowered by Shimon’s soul, so it was limited). Now the Egyptian Gods do struggle against Zorc, but they put up a much better fight and are canonically stated to be stronger than Exodia anyways. That’s not even acknowledging Holactie, who ironically also has the “instant win” condition on her card version. Overall, Exodia is just not a viable monster for Yugi considering how he only used the monster once before losing it forever, and even if he did have it, it wouldn’t be the strongest monster in his deck.

Fan Art

(Carbonated Jem)

(Tyrannii & Many more)

Verdict

GIF by Aqua

Stats

Starting with speed, both scale to some impressive feats. Yugi may scale to his best friend Joey dodging sunlight beams and his monsters themselves have dodged lasers, but Ash’s Pokémon have also dodged Tentacool’s refracted light beams and his Pokémon like Rockruff have caught Digletts that are stated to move at lightspeed (their words, not ours), matching him pretty evenly in relativistic to speed of light feats. 

Neither have a definitive advantage so far, but what about their higher end scaling? Well, Ash scales to Dialga and Palkia through several means, and both of them have reacted to Arceus’ attacks, whose previous shockwaves that he did from waking up traveled from his world to the main Pokémon universe which gets 4.1 Quintillion times FTL. Granted, they don’t scale to Arceus straight up considering he had them on the backfoot the whole time, but the creation trio have intercepted and reacted to his attacks several times, so at least scaling to speed is fine. 

Yugi’s higher end speed scaling surprisingly tells a similar story. He scales to Jaden who scales to Yubel’s Super Polymerization feat that traveled to 12 universes and one of them likely reached 578 Quadrillion – 6.284 Quintillions times FTL…maybe. The higher end/shorter time frame has an issue in that the radar shown is likely not meant to be super literal, thus the on screen 10 second timeframe is more reliable. If you think that a longer timeframe is more reliable, Ash would actually be 7x faster (4.1 Quintillion vs 578 Quadrillion), but they’d otherwise tie in speed if you think the high end is acceptable. 

There’s also two elephants in the room for Yugi’s side: First being Atem’s appearance in The Dark Side of Dimensions. Where he appears to have traveled from the afterlife to the earth. Depending on interpretation, this feat is infinite to outright immeasurable, given Kaiba’s statements of “infinite darkness” bridging the travel between the two planes of existence, but it could also be an unexplained dimensional travel ability. For our purposes, the feat was tossed aside given its uncertain nature. The second would be Holactie making the infinite multiverse, thus infinite speed. This feat is somewhat divisive whether or not it scales to speed, but accepting it means Ash definitely would be slower no matter what quantifiable end. Clearly this is getting picky and choosey, Ash’s quintillion end is more reliable, it’s possible to argue Infinite for Yugi but you can also argue him only being Quadrillions too. Ultimately, we felt it was safer to just say they’re relative and neither can reliably win a quickdraw. 

What about power though? To start off, without getting into cosmic stats immediately, they once again match. Gardevoir’s black hole feat (whose safer end is the Yottaton end) vs Zorc causing a solar eclipse both get in surprisingly pretty similar ranges of each other. It could be a tie again…if not for their high end scaling. Once again, we must look at the creation trio for Palkia and Dialga being able to sustain space and time respectively. Meaning they at least scale to their main macrocosm which gets 4x times universal, which while very impressive is about 3x less than Yubel’s Super Polymerization feat that fused a total of 12 universes together. 

Ash of course isn’t totally helpless in this category, and it’s possible to push him higher if you think the creation trio scales to the reflection cave’s many universes (which would vaguely get high into multiversal). Ultra Space is similar but likewise cannot be directly confirmed due to its parallel universe nature. Being fair to Yugi though, his main trump card Holactie directly made the Yu-Gi-Oh multiverse, which contains infinite universes, stated by the main author himself. That means no matter what, Yugi will pull ahead when it comes to raw power, giving him the edge.

Of course, stats aren’t everything and both characters have impressive partners and abilities they can fall back on. Which protagonist will pull ahead though? Well…

Arsenal & Abilities

Let’s get the easy one out of the way first, Yugi very blatantly takes arsenal. That’s not to say Ash doesn’t have some quality items at his disposal, Pokeballs are incredibly adept at positioning and defending Ash’s Pokémon, and his various transformation items help put some power behind his pocket monsters. But in comparison to…the literal source of Yugi’s various powers and summons, it’s clear as day which has a greater sway over the fight.

As for abilities, things get a bit more complicated. Yugi’s larger deck gives him a larger array of monsters with the backing of his multitude of spells and traps, but a lot of these monsters function as beatsticks that focus more on physical damage instead of using their effects to impact Ash’s monsters. Spell cards that focus on causing explicit actions like discarding have no impact at all, as throwing Pokeballs is already Ash’s primary mechanic of getting his monsters into the fight. Cards such as ones that allow for extra draws aren’t very impactful either, since Destiny Draw should allow Yugi to put whatever he needs in his hand at any given time. Ash may not have as many restrictions placed for forms like Gigantamaxing and Mega Evolution as Yugi, but Fusion and Ritual summoning is still consistent and allows Yugi to get his heavy hitters on the field at a close enough speed to where he can keep up and properly counter them.

An important factor in most duels would normally be the fact that Yugi tends to only keep one of each monster and card on him, but this is something that the rules of this Death Battle allow him to bypass. Thanks to having access to all of his decks from throughout the series, several of his spell and trap cards have effects that are practically identical, allowing him to pull off resurrections, stat buffs, and field clearers without much consequence. Even if one of Yugi’s trump cards is destroyed, Monster Reborn or Monster Replace simply puts the problem monster back on the field to cause even more issues for Ash. Yugi simply has the better toolset available to him to keep putting pressure on Ash and not let up. Even if Ash’s creativity and quick thinking allow him to leave a dent in Yugi’s big threats, Yugi simply has enough ways to keep on going, wearing down Ash’s Pokémon until the advantage backs him into a corner.

Not only that, but Yugi has plenty of tools to rely on to prevent Ash from applying too much pressure to him. Multiply and Kuriboh gives him a solid wall that allows for easy setup and would require the use of a Gmax or Z-move in order to quickly clear, then you get into Mirror Force, Swords of Revealing Light, Soul Seal, Spellbinding Circle, Spellbinding Illusion, Magic Cylinder; the list goes on with the various ways that Yugi can cut an advantage. Or push Ash back by reflecting the attacks of his own Pokémon, holding them in place and not letting them attack in the first place, or simply destroy them outright. And with every moment that Yugi is properly defended, he gets more chances to build up a stronger offense, only delaying the time that Ash has available before a god or boss monster hits the field. Attrition is a major factor in a battle like this, and the longer that Yugi has, the more unique abilities he can apply to the field and counter Ash’s own depleting numbers.

Due to the multi-factored nature of this fight, contending with each other’s powersets is less a game of resistances, and more a game of counters. And to be fair to both, they have a LOT of weirdly specific counters to what their opponent can throw at them. Butterfree can sleep powder Yugi’s whole field? Makiu the Magical Mist has been used to negate similar effects. Marshmallon and Obnoxious Celtic Guard can’t be destroyed by battle? Ash has 30 Tauros with one-shotting abilities to destroy them anyways. Gengar can possess Yugi’s monsters with a touch of his hand? Exile of the Wicked destroys him immediately, and Yugi’s strongest summons are resistant to that as well. Yugi has one of his field spells up? Infernape can destroy environmental effects. So on, so forth. So with the complexity of this laid out, who has more to answer for than the other? The answer to that is Ash, for one major glaring reason: Yugi has revival methods.

All the individual counters you can bring up for Ash to combat the various cards Yugi has at his disposal are limited by one or two specific Pokémon being alive. And Yugi has a lot of ways to just instantly dispose of Ash’s Pokémon. Offering them up as tribute to Ra, using Soul Taker to just destroy them at the cost of healing Ash (who has actual regen anyways), and most dangerously: the field wipes. Gandora and Dark Hole can potentially remove massive amounts of Ash’s Pokémon at once, and the only reasonable counter method Ash has is to either push himself to the limit returning them all to their Pokeballs or somehow realize what the card does before it’s used and destroy it. Either way, it absolutely obliterates Ash’s momentum in the fight, which is the most important thing to maintain in a fight such as this. Yugi even has methods of achieving this that would affect Ash too, like the Time Wizard.

Above all else, there’s four elephants in the room that shift the abilities into a very firm advantage for Yugi. The Egyptian Gods. Just having one of these legendary cards on the field is enough for Yugi to take a firm edge in offensive power. And unlike Yugi’s other field wiping options, Atem can summon them innately through his Ba, meaning even if Ash realized the danger and destroyed the card before Yugi could use it, Atem can just summon them all anyways. And when you bring Holactie herself into the equation, the single strongest entity here, there’s not much Ash can do to stop her just… obliterating everybody. Ash can come back from complete annihilation, but it requires Pikachu to be alive, who certainly wouldn’t survive the creator goddess’ wrath. That’s right, the most consistent win con here is a literal curse of Ra.

Tertiary Factors

One thing uniting these two is their shared experience in crazy battles that get super expansive and crazy in scope. 

Both Ash and Yugi have faced some of the best masters in the games they partake in. Ash reached the finals in almost every generation he’s been in, won the masters eight tournament, and is considered the strongest trainer in the world. In the same vein, Yugi came out on top in Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, still being considered the greatest duelist to ever live by Yusei’s time. However, despite being a permanent ten year old for decades, Ash has fought more on screen battles than Yugi has, while Yugi does have his and the Pharaoh’s collective experience, it is important to note that Atem spent 3,000 years alone in the puzzle. In comparison, Ash has a lot more experience to fall back on.

This is especially important when considering the type of battle this fight is. Given this won’t be turn based, Yugi is slightly out of his depth in comparison to Ash. Duel Monsters is traditionally turn based as opposed to the more direct battles of the world of Pokémon. Ash is going to be much more naturally equipped for a real time battle as opposed to Yugi. Obviously, Yugi has had examples of fighting in real time, as the majority of the Millennium World arc is spent in physical combat alongside your monsters. However, Ash has much more experience in direct battles. Yugi doesn’t fall too far behind in this category, but The Pokémon Monarch takes Experience.

Skill paints a more difficult picture. Both Ash and Yugi are known for their off the wall mid combat strategies.

Ash is an expert in picking up what his opponent is putting down and coming up with strategies to counteract them, like when he had Pikachu thunderbolt the terrain to prevent Onix’s speed from overtaking him, or when he used Turtwig’s Razor Leaf as a camouflage to set up a bigger attack. Ash’s primary playstyle is focused around creating as much offense as possible. Though he can absolutely defend himself when needed, like when he used Pikachu’s thunderbolt as a cage or when he used Buizel’s Aqua Jet as a shield. Ash also has his fair share of skill in Contests, even if they were far from his forte.

Yugi on the other hand is an expert gamer, he’s faced numerous different types of rulesets, he adapted fairly quickly to dimension dueling, defeating Aigami in his first game, with the same happening to Duke Devilin in the Dungeon Dice Monsters game. Yugi even picked up Duel Monsters mechanics from the future in that of Synchro Summoning. Keep in mind that the entire first arc of the Yu-Gi-Oh manga and season zero is focused on villain of the week scenarios where Yugi and Atem face a wide variety of different games. Of which they almost always win. Yugi is huge on playing primarily defensively. Yugi’s deck is designed for traps and spells for set ups, preventing attacks from happening by decreasing the power of an attack or negating it outright. Yugi usually focuses on having a counter in place for what his opponent can pull. Not to mention, Yugi has been able to match a machine trained odd of his and the data of all the other best duelists in the world on its hardest difficulty, while not even using his own deck; he used a kid’s deck which was noted to be poor. He was also able to match wits with Jaden, who outsmarted a being that had the knowledge of every other duelist on the planet besides himself!

It’s a close call, as both can truly play either way they need depending on the scenario, but Yugi’s wider variety of games played, insane showings of adaptability against opponents with a wide range of knowledge and skill on his game, and more defensive style of play should keep him safer from Ash’s more offense focused playstyle, at least for a time. Keeping his skill more generally useful for this fight.

Conclusion

“Being Champion isn’t my goal. The thing is; I still think of myself as a challenger. I wanna go on a lot more adventures, meet lots more Pokémon, and take everything I learn every day and put it to good use. That includes meeting Latios.” 

“Pika…”

“Thing is, I wanna be friends with all the Pokémon in the world. That’s what it means, to be a Pokémon Master.”

Advantages:

• Potentially faster, likely ties in speed with finite ends
• More direct battling experience, especially with a fast paced setting like this
• Pokémon are more independent than Monsters
• Superior Regeneration
• Veronica Taylor, Sarah Natochenny and Rica Matsumoto
• Got the girl

Disadvantages:

• Not as powerful 
• Outsped if infinite speed for Yugi is bought
• Inferior abilities
• Pokémon Battling’s straightforward style leaves it wide open for Duel Monsters’ preference for setups
• Less Pokémon to call upon and lacks any Revives for if his Pokémon are knocked out
• Has no answer to Holactie and the gods
• The original Red VS Tai script (holy shit dude)
• 4Kids Entertainment

“Fate brought the two of us for a reason, and we’ve fulfilled our destiny. We’ve protected mankind from the return of the Shadow Games, and we’ve both grown tremendously along the way.”

“I’m gonna miss you.”

“You do realize we’ll never truly be apart, right? The gift of kindness you’ve given me, and the courage I’ve given you, will remain with us, and that will forever bind us together.”

Advantages:

• Stronger, and even with generosity to Ash, Holactie will always be infinitely stronger
• Egyptian Gods are immune to the abilities of all of Ash’s monsters.
• Can match in speed with high finite ends, infinitely faster with infinite ends
• Various cards have effects like instant destruction, control, and battlefield removal that target both Ash and his Pokémon
• More skilled in his game
• Larger arsenal with more methods for recovering resources and reviving monsters
• Dan Green & Shunsuke Kazama 
• The origin of The Abridged Series trend (LittleKuriboh the GOAT)

Disadvantages:

• Slower with low ends
• Less direct battling experience
• Monsters are less independent than Pokémon 
• Can be killed by just being hit really hard
• The first known recorded instance of “UwU” originated from a Puzzleshipping fanfic
• 4Kids Entertainment

In the end, Yugi should have the advantage more often than not. In terms of stats, while speed is a tossup, most interpretations leave it as a draw, with the highest ends favoring Yugi. And strength also favors the King of Games, with Holactie in particular being a much stronger monster than anything Ash has access to.

Of course, physical stats aren’t all this fight is about, but in terms of abilities and arsenal, Yugi also takes severe edges. His own arsenal gives him many more abilities total, and the wide variety of abilities on his side give him many ways to shut Ash down, especially given his variety of ways to clear the field entirely. Ash’s lack of ways to revive his team also hurts him significantly, as any losses he suffers in this fight are basically permanent, while any losses Yugi suffers can be recovered from and recuperated. While Ash’s regeneration may be hypothetically useful, it’s both reliant on Pikachu and something Yugi has ways to counter via Ra, leaving Ash at an even further deficit.

And finally, while Ash’s experience is superior to Yugi’s, Yugi’s insane skill and adaptability should triumph over Ash’s; between his showings of adapting to other game styles and his ability to outsmart beings that have his and all the other best duelist’s data, and his fighting style being perfect to counter Ash’s offensive focused battling? This all nails the final edge in Yugi’s favor.

Make no mistake, Ash was a worthy opponent, but the King of Games had the skill, monsters, arsenal, and power to end this rivalry for good. It seems like Ash is going to be Yu-Gi–owned.

The winner is Yugi Mutou, the King of Games.

Final Tally

Ash Ketchum (0) – (The very best in our hearts)

Yugi Muto (17) – Aqua, Ashuto, Bananabot24, Blue Igneous, door-kun, EpicLinkSam, Frost, Hearts_zexal, KazeMagician, NukeBrother, Pasbros, Rae, Random Guy #7, Roughwaves, Trashy, TWILTY, 8bitUtopia

Before We Go…

For a matchup like this that brings up two iconic parts of our childhoods, we felt that it was necessary to speak about the two amazing men that brought these shows to life. Takeshi Shudo, the original showrunner and main writer for Pokémon: The Original Series and Kazuki Takahashi, creator of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise. Both left the world far too soon, but left behind legacies that shaped the entertainment industry for decades to come. Nothing but respect and admiration for both of them and their legendary work. We thank you for everything you’ve done for Satoshi and Yugi’s stories.