Basic dueling rules pt.2

"Alright, now that we've got a handle on ATK and DEF modes, let's dive into the battle phase! This is where the real action happens. Monsters can clash, and those in ATK mode get the chance to attack. They can target an opponent's monster or, if the field is monster-free, go straight for the opponent. When your monster in ATK mode battles another and its ATK points are higher, it crushes the opposing monster. The difference in ATK points translates to direct damage to the player, like this." Alucard summoned Skull Servant on the other side—a spooky skeleton in a simple purple robe.

Skull Servant lvl 1 DARK Zombie/Normal ATK 300 DEF 200: Giji Giji...

"Let's jump into the fray! Silver Fang, attack Skull Servant!" declared Alucard. Silver Fang lunged at Skull Servant, swiping it with its claws. Skull Servant crumbled into bones, then disintegrated, and a red -900 prompt appeared on the opponent's side, marking the direct damage.

"The defeated monster heads to the Graveyard zone. Remember, generally, the higher a monster's ATK/DEF, the better. But that's mostly for normal monsters."

"Are there other kinds of monster cards, sir? What do they look like, and what makes them different?" asked Annie, her curiosity piqued.

Alucard reached into his stash, laying out a few cards on the table. "Beyond normal monsters, we've got other types available. First up, Charubin the Fire Knight, a fusion monster. Fusion monsters are a combo of one monster with another, requiring fusion summoning, usually through a spell or effect. Fusion Monsters have a violet frame and hang out in the Extra deck. This spell card here, Polymerization, is the basic one for fusion summoning."

"Next, we have ritual monsters with a blue frame. They only need a ritual spell card, but it's super specific in conditions and the types of monsters needed. Like Hungry Burger here, summoned with the ritual spell card Hamburger Recipe and other monsters with levels totaling 6 or more."

"Finally, we've got effect monsters. They rock an orange frame and come with various effects in their card text, from special summoning conditions to defensive effects like destroying an enemy monster." Alucard pointed to the Larvae Moth and Steel Scorpion on the table.

"And just so you know, fusion and ritual monsters can have effects too; it's just that their summoning method is specific to effects and spell cards."

"Sir! We checked all the cards in this borrowed deck, but none are like that!" exclaimed Failer.

Alucard smirked, "Heh, I stocked that deck with basic cards to teach you the game's basics. If you want these cool cards, you'll have to crack open a pack." he showed them each pack of Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon, Metal Raiders, and Spell Ruler.

"How much is a pack, sir? Consider me your first customer!" grinned Nina, spinning a silver coin, leaving the others in awe with their only copper coins.

"Wow, Nina! How'd you get so rich? My dad only gave me 5 copper coins this summer..." wondered Jiji.

"My sister rewarded me for acing our last semester." Nina bragged.

"I wish I had a mage apprentice sister..." sighed Failer.

"Don't worry, Failer. I'll treat you to a pack, even though you lost our secret base." Nina reassured.

Annie fumbled in her pocket, pulling out some copper coins. "Sir, I've got 5 copper coins too. Can we buy packs and use them in our borrowed deck?"

"I have 15 copper coins here, sir! I want that pack with Mr. Starfish hair! I think my uncle will like it since it's shiny as well, haha." Failer raised his coin pouch with a grin.

Alucard shook his head and sighed, "These packs cost 12 gold coins or 1 magicoin and 2 gold coins."

"T-twelve g-gold coins! WHAAT!?!" All of them gasped at the staggering price. Nina stared at her silver coin, Annie's eyes spun from shock, and Failer and Jiji dropped to the floor, wide-eyed.

"Right now, don't worry about buying anything. My business is just starting, maybe the price will be better. For now, let's focus on learning and having fun." He assured them, already planning some promotions as his shop gained more active customers.

The kids sighed deeply, shaking off their shock. They then cradled the borrowed deck with newfound care, understanding its value. Alucard smiled wryly at their realization.

"Alright, let's explore the world of Spell and Trap cards. These cards find their home in the spell and trap zones. Spell cards, sporting a green frame, can be played directly from your hand to unleash effects during your turn. Alternatively, you can set them face up or down in the spell and trap zones. They cover a range of actions, from boosting your life points with cards like Red Medicine to dealing damage with ones like Sparks. Don't forget, even cards like Polymerization, used for fusion summoning, and Hamburger Recipe, the ritual card for Hungry Burger, fall under the spell card category." Alucard set the Red Medicine spell card, resulting in a light blue +500 appearing on his side, boosting his life points.

"Now, let's talk Trap cards. These sneaky cards work a bit differently. They're designed to trigger effects during your opponent's turn, but there's a catch – you have to set them from your hand for a turn before activating. Trap cards are always set face down, adding an element of mystery to your opponent's strategy. Identified by their purple frame, they bring a tactical edge to the game. Take this card, Eatgaboon, for example. It's a trap card that lets you destroy an opponent's monster if it's been normal summoned with an ATK of 500 or less. Trap cards are versatile tools, capable of stopping your opponent from summoning monsters, thwarting attacks, and more. Use them wisely to outsmart your opponent."

"Like Monster cards, there are also different types of spell and trap cards, however right now there are too few of them and the basic ones already are powerful enough to turn the tide of a duel. So far any questions with the basic types of cards? If not, then let's go and start the duel!" Alucard asked the kids, They all shook their heads, eager to start playing with the precious deck of cards.

"Okay, each player has 4000 Life points, the goal is to reduce the opponent's life force to 0 by using your monster's attacks or using effects to damage the opponent. Also remember not to show your cards to your opponent, unless a card effect requires you to do so, that is basic etiquette in duels since you don't want your opponent to know your next moves, it is up to them to predict what cards you are going to play."

"Before a duel starts, we need to decide who goes first. This is done by a coin toss, and the winner decides which player goes first. Remember, the player who gets the first turn cannot attack." Alucard explained.

Nina chose tails while Annie went with heads. "Okay, you can flip any coin that you have, but this table has an automatic coin flipper to make things fair." Alucard pointed to a coin-shaped button spinning slowly in the center of the table. It had the word FLIP on one side and a golden eye on the other. He then pressed it, and the holographic coin flipped, making a crisp clinking sound effect before turning up heads.

Alucard asked Annie, and she decided to go first.

"The decks will need to be shuffled before you draw cards. As a magic table, this table will do it automatically for you as well. If you happen to play using a regular table, then each player needs to give their deck to the opponent and shuffle it manually like this before giving it back to each other. Afterward, each player draws five cards." He explained as he showed how to shuffle a deck of cards manually.

"Now, since each player has five cards, the duel officially begins, and also don't show your cards to your opponent unless the card says so. Annie, since you decided to get the first turn, we're going into what's called the main phase. As long as you have a monster card, you're able to summon one. If you have spell cards, you can use them now, and if you have trap cards, you can set them for use later during your opponent's turn. Since I filled the decks with normies, then none of you should have brick hands."

"Sir, what's a brick hand? My uncle lays bricks to repair walls that the city needs to defend against monster tides." Jiji asked.

"Well, a brick hand is just an expression, not literally a hand with a brick. Sometimes you don't have any cards to use, like having monsters too high of a level to summon or spell cards that need a monster to use, then what you have is a brick hand. If you only have trap cards, at least you can use them to defend yourself when it's the opponent's turn, but it's not much better than having a brick hand. When you have a brick hand, then all you can do really is pass your turn and let your opponent start theirs." Alucard explained.

"That sounds like a bad time." said Failer while furrowing his brows.

Heh, trust me kid, as someone who uses Blue-Eyes and Dark Magician, it's a magical time for sure, thought Alucard as he chuckled lightly.

Alucard snapped from his PTSD from the games he suffered from the online Yugioh game, Master Duel.

"Oh sorry, my mind wandered. Annie, if you have a normal monster that is between 1 and 4 stars, you can summon that monster in ATK or set it face down in DEF mode. In fact, when you're using any of the tables in the shop when you play, any monster that you can summon or set will have a faint blue-ish glow surrounding it, and only you can see it." Alucard informed them of the table's special features.

"So I can summon this monster called Nemuriko? Then go Nemuriko, I summon you in ATK mode!" Annie placed the monster card in the monster zone. A Holographic sleeping kid with a long serpentine-like tail yet with a tailfin appeared in the monster zone while it was sucking on its thumb.

Nemuriko lvl 3 DARK Spellcaster/Normal ATK 800 DEF 700: Zzzu Zzzu...

"Sir, I also have some cards that are glowing faintly, can I also use them now?" Annie asked while showing her cards discreetly to Alucard. Nina craned her neck to snatch a peek, but Alucard chuckled and told her that was unsportsmanlike.

Alucard then turned back to Annie, "Oh, this glowing card that you have is a spell card. Remember that I told you guys that there are different types of it? This one is an Equip spell card. You can only use this to target a monster on the field. Normally you equip it to your monster to boost its power, but some Equip spell cards have negative effects, and you can use those and equip it to your opponent's monsters."

"Ok, then I use the Sword of Deep-Seated and equip it to my Nemuriko!" Annie declared. Then a fierce greatsword with a horned hilt materialized on the spell and trap zone and floated above Nemuriko. The drowsy Nemuriko held the greatsword with its long tail and waved it around lazily.

Nemuriko lvl 3 DARK Spellcaster/Normal ATK 800 DEF 700 -> ATK 1300DEF 1200: Zz zzzzuu...

"I-I don't have any more cards to use and can't attack this turn so I end my turn." Annie reluctantly said.

"Okay, Nina it's your turn now. Starting from here, every start of a player's turn is called the Draw phase, where a player gets to draw one card. After the draw phase, the next phase is called the Stand-by Phase. Normally this phase is used to maintain or count card effects, so you don't need to worry about it right now since I didn't add any cards that can be used during this phase. But generally, a player can activate trap cards they set before, if applicable." As Alucard explained, Nina drew a card and stared at her hand for a while.

"Sir, my monsters aren't glowing... What should I do?" Nina turned to Alucard and said in panic.

Alucard: ...