The Speed of Your Card!

[RogueShadow]

Hello Guest, and welcome to my lesson on spell speed!
I know this is a pretty general topic, but it still needs to be addressed for those who don't know. Spell speeds are a very simple process to learn. However you need to know what each speed means, and what cards are what spell speed.

Spell Speed 1

-Normal Spell cards
-Ritual Spell Cards
-Continuous Spell Cards
-Field Spell cards
-Monsters with effects that only work during your turn


Spell Speed 2

-Normal Trap Cards
-Continuous Traps
-Quick Play Spells
-Quick Monster Effects


Spell Speed 3

-Counter Traps

Whats the difference?

The way to tell the difference between these different cards are simple, just look in the corner of the card where the level of a monster usually is. If its a monster you will have to do a little reading, the monsters effect will say "during either players turn:" or will state that it can be used during your opponents turn. This means the monster is spell speed 2. If the monster only says or indicates that it can only be used during your turn, then it is spell speed 1. The different spells and traps are simpler to distinguish. The spell or trap card will only state that it is a [Trap/Spell Card] if it is a normal spell or trap. Continuous spell or trap cards have an infinity symbol next to where it says [Spell/Trap Card]. Quick play spell cards are something unique to spell cards, they have a lightning bolt next to where it says [Spell Card]. Equip Spell cards are also unique to spell cards, they have a Plus sign next to where it says [Spell Card]. Ritual spell cards have a burning altar next to where it says [Spell Card]. Counter trap cards are unique to Trap cards, they have an arrow next to where it says [Trap Card].

Why are spell speeds special?

Spell speeds basically play an interesting game of Stackem. Cards can only chain to cards of equal or lesser spell speed, while still following the cards texts. An exception to this rule is that spell speed 1 cards cannot chain to spell speed 1 cards. For example, Player A has a "Dark Hole" in hand, a face-up "Toon World" and a face-down "Judgment of Anubis." Player B has a face-up "Wind-up Rabbit" and a face-down "Mystical Space Typhoon." Player A activates "Dark Hole" and Player B chains "Mystical Space Typhoon" to target Player A's "Toon World." Player A chains "Judgment of Anubis" negating Player B's "Mystical Space Typhoon" and targeting their face-up "Wind-up Rabbit." Since "Wind-up Rabbit" is spell speed 2 it cannot chain to "Judgment of Anubis" because "Judgment of Anubis" is a counter trap card, or spell speed 3. The chain resolves as follows: "Judgment of Anubis" negates "Mystical Space Typhoon" and destroys "Wind-up Rabbit", "Toon World" remains on the field and "Dark Hole" destroys nothing. Player B now has an empty field.

There is one more thing I wanted to discuss about monster effects chaining to monster effects. Mandatory and Optional effects. The mandatory effect goes lower on the chain then the Optional effect. For example if Player A controls a face-up "Neo-Spacian Grand Mole" and Player B controls a face-up "Ally of Justice Catastor."
Player A attacks Catastor with Grand Mole. The chain resolves as follows: Catastor has a mandatory effect and becomes chain link 1, Grand Mole becomes chain link 2. Grand Mole bounces both Catastor and itself to the hand then Catastor's effect resolves without effect because neither monster is on the field anymore.

Fun fact that I like to joke about, there is only one spell speed 4 card.

The Fabled Unicore!!

So like i said, it's a pretty simple topic but still needed to be addressed, if you have any other questions feel free to contact me.

[Khina Bree]

I'd like to point out that Unicore isn't speed 4, but if anything is, its Anti Magic Arrows and Super Polymerization.

[HoennZach]

Nice topic Rogue!
This is really helpful for all our newer/less experienced duelists out there. Future reference dont joke about things that technically dont exist like spell speed 4 because itll confuse the newbies

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