[Neo Dueling System Guide]

New Changes

• The new hand size limit has become 5. Furthermore, you cannot perform your normal draw during your Draw Phase once you have the maximum allowed number of cards in your hand. If you reach the limit to the number of cards in your hand, except during the resolution of an effect, you must discard cards in your hand until you reach the acceptable limit. You can draw 2 cards during your Draw Phase.
  
• If your Spell/Trap Card Zones are full, you can send 1 card in your Spell/Trap Card Zone to the Graveyard to place another from your hand in that zone. The same goes for Monster Cards.
  
• All Fusion Monsters that can be Summoned using Polymerization can also be summoned via Contact Fusion. You can send the required monsters to the Graveyard from your side of the field. You can also use monsters in your hand, but if you do, that monster's effects are negated and cannot be activated, also it cannot attack this turn. You can only Fusion Summon once per turn this way.
  
• Ritual Monsters can now be Ritual Summoned directly from the Deck. Also, if you have the appropriate Ritual Monster in your hand when you play a Ritual Spell Card, you can Ritual Summon that monster without Tributes. You can only Ritual Summon once per turn.
  

Deck Master

• At the very start of the Duel, each player chooses 1 card from their Main Deck/Extra Deck (excluding God Cards) to represent their Deck Master. That card cannot be a Spell or Trap Card (excluding Ritual Spell Cards). Neither player is allowed to choose a level 6 or higher Effect Monster. Neither player may select forbidden cards as Deck Masters.
  
• These Deck Masters are not classed as being on the field (except for effects which specify the Deck Master’s name. Ex. Thousand Knives for Dark Magcian.) and stay face-up in the player’s middle Spell/Trap Card Zone until the player decides to Special Summon it to his/her side of the field.
  
• The opponent cannot take control of, Tribute, banish, or send the Deck Master to the Graveyard, except by destruction by battle or by a card effect. If a player's Deck Master is destroyed, he/she loses the duel. If a player's Deck Master is Tributed by a card effect to Special Summon another monster or used as a Fusion Material Monster or can otherwise be immediately replaced such as by the effect of A Deal with Dark Ruler, the monster that is Special Summoned next becomes the player's new Deck Master.
  
• If multiple Deck Masters are Tributed or used as Fusion Material Monsters, the Special Summoned monster is treated as the Deck Master for all of the players the original monsters belonged to.
  
• Each Deck Master has an effect(s) that makes them unique to other cards in the deck or other Deck Masters. These effects can be used whether or not they’re being played as a monster unless specified otherwise. All Deck Master effects cannot be chained to except by the effect of another Deck Master.
  
• Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Level 6 or higher Effect/Normal/Tuner/Pendulum Deck Masters must be unlocked via story development.
  
• Certain Deck Master Card Types have various clauses to them:
  

1.) Fusion Monsters: This card cannot be Special Summoned except by activating Polymerization and banishing all of the required Fusion Material Monsters in the Graveyard. 
2.) Ritual Monsters: Ritual Monsters must first be Special Summoned by the effect of their respective Ritual Spell Card, unless certain events are completed, then you can use a Ritual Monster without its spell.
3.) Tuner Monsters: Once per turn, you can add the level of this Deck Master to the Level of 1 monster you control until the End Phase.
4.) Synchro Monsters: Cannot be Special Summoned except by banishing the required Synchro Materials in your Graveyard. (You may not select Majestic Star Dragon, Majestic Red Dragon, Shooting Star Dragon, Red Nova Dragon, Tech Genus Halberd Cannon, Shooting Quasar Dragon)
5.) Xyz Monsters: Cannot be Special Summoned except by targeting a number of monsters in your Graveyard that fit the requirements to Xyz Summon this the Deck Master and attaching them to the Deck Master as Xyz Materials. (You may not select “CXyz”, “Number C”, “Number F”, “Number iC” or “Number S” monsters.)
6.) Pendulum Monsters: Must be Special Summoned during a Pendulum Summon. (This is treated as a Pendulum Summon) Pendulum Monster Deck Masters can use their Spell Effects while Deck Masters.


Summoning Counters (SC)

• At the start of the Duel, both players place 4 SC on their Deck Master. At the start of their Standby Phases (excluding the first turn), each player places 3 SC on their Deck Master. You can only have a maximum of 12 Summon Counters on your Deck Master.
  
• To Normal Summon or Flip Summon a monster, remove SC from your Deck Master equal to the Level of the monster in your hand you’re attempting to Summon. This is the monster’s Cost. Monsters do not need SC to be set, but must be set as per the the original Summoning rules, Tribute Set included.
  
• To Tribute Summon a monster, select 1 monster on the field, then subtract the level of that monster from the Level of the monster you want to Tribute Summon. If you then have the Summon Counters required to Normal Summon the monster in your hand, you can Tribute the monster on the field to Tribute Summon the monster in your hand.
  
• Monsters that are Normal Summoned by an effect (Ex. Ultimate Offering, Mahunder, etc.) do not require you to pay SC. 
  
• If a Level 5 or higher monster has an effect which lets it be Normal Summoned without Tribute, you can pay only 4 SC to Normal Summon it. If a Level 7 or higher monster has an effect which lets it be Normal Summoned with 1 less Tribute, You can pay a base 6 SC (not counting the Level of the Tribute) to Normal Summon it.
  
• If a monster has an effect which lets it be treated as more than 1 Tribute for a Tribute Summon, you can subtract twice the amount of SC when Tributing it.
  

Deck Master Duels

• The only monster allowed on your side of the field is your Deck Master. Tokens are also allowed.
  
• Your Deck Master does not use SC, nor does it accumulate any.
  
• Control of your Deck Master cannot switch.
  
• If your Deck Master would be returned to the hand/(Extra)Deck/sent to the Graveyard (except by destruction), it loses all effects applied to it instead.
  
• If your Deck Master would be destroyed, it loses 1000 ATK and DEF instead.
  
• If your Deck Master is banished, it returns to your side of the field during the end of the turn.
  
• Card effects that negate your Deck Master's attacks last only until the Standby Phase of your opponent's next turn. Afterwards, the effect is negated.
  
• Your Deck Master inflicts Piercing damage.
  
• While your Deck Master is in Defense Position, you take half damage from attacks, however you only draw 1 card each Draw Phase.
  
• Your Deck Master can be used as Fusion Material or Tributed to Summon other monsters. In which case, their Deck Master Effects cross over to the new monster and that monster is made the new Deck Master.
  
• Once per turn, you can discard a card in your hand to draw a card.
  
• Once per turn during your Main Phase, you can discard 1 Monster Card in your hand to activate one of the following effects:
    -BOOST!: If the discarded monster's Type is the same as the Deck Master's Type, +1 additional attack. If the discarded monster's attribute is the same as the Deck Master's attribute, +800 ATK until the End Phase.
    -RESONATE!: Your DM gains the discarded monster's effects until the end of your opponent's next turn. Effects that activate when the discarded monster is Normal, Flip, or Special Summoned activate immediately. Does not work if the discarded monster's Level is greater than the Deck Master's Level.
    -RESTORE!: Increase the ATK and DEF of the DM by an amount equal to the discarded monster's respective ATK and DEF. Cannot restore more than the Original ATK or DEF.