Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is an internationally popular card game that lets you experience the original TCG from behind your screen. Featuring your favourite characters, dubbed voice lines, CG animations, and nationwide PVP tournaments - you can immerse yourself in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh! in all its glory! In addition to collecting cards, you can also use skills to enhance your decks. There are a wide range of them, some of which are unique to certain characters, so deciding which to use can be difficult. That’s why we’ve decided to rank the best skills in the game for you.
10. Master of Destiny
For anyone looking to guarantee coin-toss results, Master of Destiny is for you
Master of Destiny is a skill specific to Sartorius (GX), and it’s a very useful skill for luck-based decks. For decks with lots of coin-toss mechanics, this skill can help you get heads on the first 3 tosses. The only downside is that you’ll miss your first normal draw, which is a fairly small loss. Master of Destiny is great for decks like Desperado Barrel Dragon and Arcana Force, which contain many coin-toss effects. It’s just that the skill’s trigger requirements are relatively high - you must have 7 cards with different names that use the coin-toss mechanic, excluding the Extra Deck.
This skill has been somewhat nerfed in terms of trigger requirements. It used to require 5 coin-toss cards with different names, but now it’s 7. This makes it harder to use for decks that don’t have many card variations. However, you can still form a deck that satisfies the requirements fairly easily - you’ll just have to decrease the number of duplicates.
What ‘Master of Destiny’ excels in:
Guaranteeing coin-toss results - it’s only for the first 3 tosses, but it prevents you from losing out near the start of the duel.
Makes strategizing easier - you can use coin-toss effects knowing that the result will be heads.
Arcana Force decks - the archetype is known for their coin-toss cards, so it’s easy to meet the skill requirements.
Choose ‘Master of Destiny’ if:
You want a skill for luck-based decks
You want to guarantee coin-toss results
You want the coin-toss results to be heads
You want a skill for Arcana Force decks
You want a skill for Desperado Barrel Dragon decks
Master of Destiny:
Your first 3 coin tosses will be heads
Your first normal draw will be skipped
Only activates if you start the duel with at least 7 cards with different names that use the coin-toss mechanic (excluding Extra Deck)
9. What Grows in the Graveyard
A great skill for boosting your synchro decks
What Grows in the Graveyard is a skill specific to Akiza (5Ds), and it’s especially useful for plant synchro decks. The skill allows you to summon twice in one turn and can help you easily satisfy the requirements for synchro summoning. As long as you have a plant tuner, you will be able to make use of this skill in your deck. This means you can use it in non-plant decks with little issue, making the skill quite versatile.
As far as skills go, this one has fairly low requirements; you just need to lose 1500 LP to trigger it. Dark Verger also has low requirements; you only need to summon a plant tuner to get it on the field. The skill’s applicable to any synchro deck, so it’s not locked to certain archetypes. The downsides are the character restrictions and the usage limit - it can only be used once per duel.
What ‘What Grows in the Graveyard’ excels in:
Being easy to trigger - you just need to lose 1500 LP to meet the requirements.
Helping you special summon - you can special summon Dark Verger by summoning a plant tuner.
Letting you do multiple summons - you can summon twice in one turn using Dark Verger and easily meet synchro requirements.
Being flexible - it can be used in any synchro deck and isn’t restrained by archetypes.
Choose ‘What Grows in the Graveyard’ if:
You want a low-requirement skill
You want a versatile skill
You want a skill for a synchro deck
You want a skill for a plant deck
You want a skill that makes synchro summoning easier
What Grows in the Graveyard:
Can be activated when your LP decreases by 1500.
Adds 1 Dark Verger to your graveyard from outside of your deck
Can only be used once per duel
8. Level Duplication
A widely-accessible skill that makes synchro summoning easier
Level Duplication is a skill accessible to various characters from 5Ds, Zexal, and Arc-V, including Yusei, Anna, and Yuto. The skill is useful for any synchro deck, as it helps change the level of a monster you control. Levelling can help you match the level of a specific synchro monster, making it easy to summon. The skill is very versatile as it’s not locked to specific archetypes or characters. The trigger requirements are also quite low; you just need to have 3000 or lower LP.
This skill is one of the more flexible ones and can be used in multiple Duel Worlds. It can be used in any synchro deck and isn’t hard to trigger. It’s also easy to use; all you need to activate it is a monster in your hand and a monster on the field. The downsides are that the levelling effect lasts one turn only, and it’s limited to once per duel.
What ‘Level Duplication’ excels in:
Being easy to activate - you just need your LP to be 3000 or lower, which still leaves you with a high amount of LP.
Being flexible - it’s not locked to any archetypes and can be used by multiple characters.
Synchro decks - the skill lets you level a character, which can help you synchro summon easier.
Choose ‘Level Duplication’ if:
You want a skill for synchro decks
You want a levelling skill
You want a skill with low requirements
You want a skill that’s used by multiple characters
You want a skill that can be used across multiple Duel Worlds
Level Duplication:
Can be activated when your LP is 3000 or lower
Show 1 monster in your hand and choose 1 monster on your field
The selected monster's level will become equal to the level of the revealed monster
Lasts until the end of the turn
Can be used once per duel
7. The Tie That Binds
A versatile skill that's useful in most power decks
The Tie That Binds is a skill available to characters from DM, GX, 5Ds, and Arc-V, including Yugi Moto, Jesse, Yusei, and Yuya. It’s very versatile, and it can be used in any deck that has monsters in it. It’s particularly great for any decks that special summon a lot, such as Salamangreat and Amazoness. The skill has very low trigger requirements; you only need to have at least 1 monster on the field to activate it. It’s also a multi-use skill - you can use it once per turn for the rest of the duel.
The Tie That Binds isn’t limited by uses per duel - it’s limited per turn. It’s active throughout the duel, no matter how many times you use it. The requirements are also very low, and it’s one of the easiest skills to use. It’s one of the few skills that can be used in almost any deck.
What ‘The Tie That Binds’ excels in:
Being easy to trigger - you only need at least 1 monster on your field.
Being easy to use - if you meet the requirements, all you have to do is activate it. You don’t need to do anything else.
Being versatile - it can be used by multiple characters, isn’t locked to any archetypes, and can be used in any deck that uses monsters.
Choose ‘The Tie That Binds’ if:
You want a versatile skill
You want a skill that increases ATK
You want a skill that makes use of special summoning effects
You want a skill that’s easy to use
You want a skill that has low requirements
The Tie That Binds:
The ATK of all your face-up monsters increase by 100 for every monster on your field
Lasts until the end of your turn
Can be used once per turn
6. Cyber Style
An amazing skill for upgrading cyber decks
Cyber Style is a skill specific to Zane (GX), and it’s best used in Cyber decks. It has fairly low trigger requirements; you only need to have 2000 or less LP and 1 Cyber Dragon in your deck. The skill helps you fusion summon monsters that use Cyber Dragon as material, such as Cyber End Dragon, Cyber Twin Dragon, and Chimeratech Overdragon. It can help you fusion summon in a pinch, since it allows you to special summon 1 Cyber Dragon to the field from your hand or deck.
This skill has been nerfed quite a lot. It used to let you summon 1-3 Proto-Cyber Dragons from outside your deck, which saved deck space and made fusion summoning Cyber End Dragon easier. There were also fewer restrictions in place and no ATK reductions. This skill can still be useful, but you need to be more careful about how you use it. Make sure you’re ready to summon Cyber End Dragon when you activate it, since the ATK reduction makes you vulnerable to damage.
What ‘Cyber Style’ excels in:
Being easy to activate - all you need is 2000 or less LP and 1 Cyber Dragon in the deck or hand.
Helping you fusion summon - it special summons a Cyber Dragon to your field, which helps you meet fusion requirements.
Cyber decks - it’s specialised for Cyber decks and makes fusion summoning Cyber monsters easier.
Choose ‘Cyber Style’ if:
You want a skill for Cyber decks
You want a skill that’s easy to activate
You want a skill that helps you fusion summon
You want a skill that helps you special summon
Cyber Style:
Can be activated when your LP is at 2000 or less
Summon 1 Cyber Dragon with 0 ATK from your hand or deck for every 1000 LP less than 4000
You can’t special summon monsters other than Cyber End Dragon until the end of your opponent's next turn
Cyber Dragons summoned using this skill can’t be tributed, and while they’re face-up on the field, you can’t special summon or attack with any monsters other than fusion monsters
Can be used once per duel
5. Ultimate Dragons
Looking for powerful Blue-Eyes support? Ultimate Dragons is the skill for you
Ultimate Dragons is a skill specific to Kaiba (DSOD), and it’s great for Blue-Eyes decks. It’s one of the few skills that has two effects, and one of them has no trigger requirements. The other effect is fairly easy to activate; you only need 2 Blue-Eyes White Dragons in your hand. There are many searchers for Blue-Eyes White Dragon, so these requirements are quite easy to meet. This skill helps you easily fusion summon powerful Blue-Eyes monsters, such as Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon, and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
This skill is useful for any Blue-Eyes deck, and it gives you access to powerful monsters you might not already have. It also lets you add polymerization to your hand from outside the deck, which means you can free up a card slot. This only activates when you reveal 2 Blue-Eyes White Dragons in your hand, so you’ll be guaranteed to meet at least one fusion requirement.
What ‘Ultimate Dragons’ excels in:
Making fusion summoning easier - it adds a polymerization to your hand from outside the deck.
Giving you access to powerful fusion monsters - it adds monsters to your extra deck at the start of the duel.
Being easy to activate - you just need at least 2 Blue-Eyes White Dragons in your hand, which should be easy to do with all those searchers.
Choose ‘Ultimate Dragons’ if:
You want a skill for Blue-Eyes decks
You want a skill with low requirements
You want a skill that adds monsters to your deck
You want a skill that helps you fusion summon
You want a skill that gives you polymerization from outside the deck
Ultimate Dragons:
At the start of the duel, adds Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and Blue-Eyes Twin Burst Dragon to your Extra Deck
On turn 3 and onward, you can reveal 2 Blue-Eyes White Dragons in your hand to your opponent, and add 1 polymerization to your hand from outside your deck
Can be used once per duel
4. Life Cost 0
For effects that require LP to activate, Life Cost 0 saves you from losing LP!
Life Cost 0 is a skill that’s specific to four DM characters, which include Odion, Espa Roba, Mako, and Téa. This skill is very useful for cards that cost LP to activate, such as Cosmic Cyclone and Solemn Scolding. Life Cost 0 can help you when you fail to meet a card’s activation requirements as well as save you a bunch of LP. It’s useful in a pinch and is especially helpful when you have low LP.
Life Cost 0 has been nerfed a bit - it’s now only a one-time use skill. It’s not that serious of a downgrade, so the skill is still very useful. It’s just more limited now, and you have to be careful about when to use it. The skill also has very low requirements; you just need a card that costs LP to use.
What ‘Life Cost 0’ excels in:
Saving you LP - it makes the LP cost of a card 0.
Letting you avoid activation requirements - if you can’t use a card because of low LP, you can use the skill to activate it regardless.
Being easy to use; you only need a card that costs LP to use this skill.
Choose ‘Life Cost 0’ if:
You want a skill for LP cost decks
You want a skill for avoiding LP costs
You want a skill that saves you LP
You want a skill that has low requirements
Life Cost 0:
Can be activated if your LP is at 1000 or below
For one time only, you don’t have to pay any LP to activate a card
Lasts until the end of the opponent's next turn
Can be used once per duel
3. Sealed Tombs
Disrupt your opponent's strategy by nullifying effects in the graveyard!
Sealed Tombs is a skill exclusive to Ishizu (DM), and it’s great for anti-graveyard decks. This skill has fairly low trigger requirements; you only need to have LP lower than your opponent’s by 1000 or more. It’s a useful counter to any effects that require banishing or summoning from the graveyard. It also isn’t locked to any archetype, so it can be used in any deck.
Sealed Tombs has been nerfed a bit; it used to not have any trigger requirements. The downgrade isn’t too extreme, so the skill is still very useful. Just remember that the effect is applied to both you and your opponent, so be careful when you use it.
What ‘Sealed Tombs’ excels in:
Stopping graveyard effects - it stops anyone from banishing or summoning from the graveyard, which disrupts a lot of decks.
Being easy to activate - you only need to meet the LP condition to activate it.
Ruining your opponent’s turn - the skill lasts until the end of your opponent’s next turn, so it can completely ruin their plans for that turn.
Choose ‘Sealed Tombs’ if:
You want a skill for anti-graveyard decks
You want a skill that stops graveyard effects
You want a skill with low requirements
You want a versatile skill
Sealed Tombs:
Can be activated if your LP is lower than your opponent's by 1000 or more
Neither player can banish cards or special summon monsters from the graveyard
Lasts until the end of your opponent's next turn
Can be used once per duel
2. Balance
Balance your starting hand to avoid an early OTK!
Balance is a skill accessible to characters across all the Duel Worlds (except for DSOD), including Yami Yugi, Zane, Crow, Kite, Declan, and Playmaker and Ai. This skill has fairly low requirements; you just need at least 6 of each card type (Monster, Spell, and Trap). Balance is a versatile skill that’s useful in any deck. It helps you have a balanced starting hand, which is especially great for decks with many high-level monsters.
Balance stops you from starting out with a bad hand, which can keep you from losing the duel. Having a bad first hand can leave you open to OTKs. The skill has been nerfed a bit; there didn’t used to be any summoning restrictions. It only lasts until the battle phase starts on your first turn, so it’s not too serious a downgrade.
What ‘Balance’ excels in:
Giving you a balanced starting hand - it makes sure you start with at least 1 monster, 1 spell, and 1 trap.
Preventing OTKs - it decreases the chances of you being open to attack on the first turn.
Being versatile - it’s not locked to archetypes and can be used across Duel Worlds, so it’s suitable for any deck.
Choose ‘Balance’ if:
You want a versatile skill
You want a skill with low requirements
You want a balanced starting hand
You want a skill for decks with high-level monsters
You want to prevent OTKs on the first turn
Balance:
Your starting hand will reflect the card balance of your deck
Only triggers if you have at least 6 of each card type in your deck (i.e. Monster, Spell, and Trap)
You can’t special summon or activate monster effects until after the main phase of your first turn
1. Destiny Draw
Use Destiny Draw to get a life-saving card when you need it
Destiny Draw is a skill specific to Yami Yugi (DM), and it’s great for any deck. It acts as a great searcher and can be life-saving in a pinch. When you desperately need a specific card in your hand, you can get it by using Destiny Draw. The skill has fairly low requirements; you just need to have your LP decrease by 2000. It’s suitable for any deck as it’s not locked to archetypes or types of summoning.
Destiny Draw is a very versatile skill; there are no card requirements, so you can use it to search for any card in any deck. This skill has been nerfed slightly; there used to be no usage restriction. The downgrade doesn’t impact how it works, so the skill is still very useful.
What ‘Destiny Draw’ excels in:
Being a searcher - it can get any card from your deck to your hand.
Being easy to use - all you need to do is pick a card when you activate it.
Being versatile - it’s not locked to any archetypes, so it’s suitable for any deck.
Choose ‘Destiny Draw’ if:
You want a good searcher
You want a skill with low requirements
You want a versatile skill
You want a skill that’s easy to use
Destiny Draw:
Can be activated when your LP decreases by 2000
Instead of a normal draw, draw a card of your choice
Can be used once per duel
