Yu-Gi-Oh! GX is the second generation of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Trading Card Game. It introduces new characters and archetypes. The most popular archetype from this series is Elemental HERO. Jaden plays an Elemental HERO deck, and upgrades it with new Elemental Heroes every season.
Elemental HERO remains as one of the game’s most popular archetypes. It is the first archetype to strategize a deck with Fusion monsters. Fusion monsters have always been a part of Yu-Gi-Oh!. However, most decks did not only focus on Fusion monsters at the time. Elemental HERO forever changed Yu-Gi-Oh!, and fusion monsters saw more play.
Elemental Heroes are a league of superheroes. They work together to defeat the forces of evil. Each superhero has a unique power. However, many Elemental Heroes are weak individually. They gain strength in numbers, and combine their superpowers to fuse into a new and powerful Elemental HERO.
Booster Sets and Structure Deck
HERO Strike Structure Deck is a good starting point to build an Elemental HERO deck. It has many important cards for the deck such as Elemental HERO Shadow Mist and a league of Masked Heroes. HERO Strike also includes many reprints of your favorite heroes. Unfortunately, HERO Strike is an old structure deck. It is one of the most expensive structure decks on the market because Elemental HERO is a popular archetype.
Buy Elemental HEROES in these booster sets!
- Cybernetic Revolution
- Enemy of Justice
- Extreme Victory
- Light of Destruction
- Storm of Ragnarok
Elemental Heroes
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. There is a wide variety of Elemental Heroes. Some heroes have the power of water, the power of fire, and the power of lightning. They may be weak individually, but they are strong as a team. Fuse your heroes to create the strongest heroes in the league!
Elemental HERO Blazeman
Elemental HERO Blazeman is a must have card in every Elemental HERO deck. His ability allows you to search for a Polymerization, and you add it to your hand. The effect also sends one Elemental HERO from your deck to the graveyard. This effect sets up plays for Miracle Fusion, and Elemental HERO the Shinning.
Elemental HERO Bubbleman
Elemental HERO Bubbleman’s effect is very mediocre. It requires you to have no cards on the field, and Bubbleman must be the only card in your hand. Then, he special summons himself to the field, and you draw two cards. You do not want to be in a position to use his effect. I only play Bubbleman to Fusion summon Elemental HERO Absolute Zero.
Elemental HERO Heat
Elemental HERO Heat turns up the heat with many allies on the field. He gains 200 ATK for each Elemental HERO that you control! He becomes a decent beater with two or more Elemental Heroes on your field.
Elemental HERO Neos
Elemental HERO Neos is the Dark Magician of Elemental HERO. They are normal monsters, and require a lot of support to be good cards. I only play this card for fun. He is the leader of the League of Elemental Heroes. That is my only excuse for playing Neos.
Elemental HERO Shadow Mist
Elemental HERO Shadow Mist enables you to play Masked Heroes. His effect adds a “Change” Quick-Play Spell card from your deck to your hand. Then, you may play your “Change” and Fusion summon a powerful Masked HERO!
Elemental HERO Stratos
Elemental HERO Stratos is one of the best cards in the archetype. Every Elemental HERO deck needs to play one copy of Elemental HERO Stratos. You may only use one of his two powerful effects. His first effect destroys Spell and Trap cards. Then, his second effect searches your deck for a HERO monster and adds it to your hand.
Link Monsters
The extra monster zone changed Yu-Gi-Oh!, and it was intended to slow the game’s pace. Elemental HERO relies on fusion monsters. New Link Monsters for HERO decks were made. You can link your Fusion Elemental heroes to your Link Heroes. Then, you can create a strong field of heroes from your extra deck.
Xtra HERO Dread Decimator
Xtra HERO Dread Decimator is one of the best HERO cards. His effect gains 100 ATK for each different HERO in your graveyard, and any HERO that points to it also gains the effect. Furthermore, Xtra HERO Dread Decimator has three Link Arrows for his player. Your opponent cannot use his Link Arrows. I recommend playing him for your main Link Monster.
Fusion Monsters
Fusion monsters are the bosses for Elemental HERO decks. They have a variety of effects to give you an advantage over your opponent. Furthermore, there are many Elemental HERO Fusion monsters. You have many cards to choose from. I listed some of the best Fusion monsters for your deck.
Elemental HERO Absolute Zero
Elemental HERO Absolute Zero is my favorite Elemental HERO. His artwork is amazing as he would be an awesome superhero in a comic. His second effect will frustrate your opponent. He destroys all of your opponent’s monsters when he leaves the field! The only way to avoid his effect is to negate it with a card such as Skill Drain.
Elemental HERO Escuridao
Elemental HERO Escuridao gains 100 ATK for each Elemental HERO in your graveyard. This skill is very beneficial during the late game. You will have some Elemental Heroes in the graveyard to boost Elemental HERO Escuridao. In addition, Elemental HERO Escuridao has potential to raise its ATK to defeat strong monsters. I recommend playing one copy in a deck.
Elemental HERO Nova Master
Elemental HERO Nova Master is a nice card for drawing cards. If Elemental HERO Nova Master destroys a monster by battle, then you draw one card. I always enjoy playing cards with effects to draw cards. I have quicker access to my deck’s best cards. An Elemental HERO deck with monsters with a fire attribute can play a single copy of Elemental HERO Nova Master.
Elemental HERO The Shining
Elemental HERO The Shining gains 300 ATK for each banished Elemental HERO. Then, you may add two banished Elemental Heroes to your hand when Elemental HERO The Shinning is send to the graveyard. The Shining has a lot of synergy with Miracle Fusion. You may Fusion Summon him by Miracle Fusion. Then, you will have banished Elemental Heroes to draw and gain power from.
Masked HERO Fusions
Sometimes Elemental Heroes change their masks. They gain new superpowers from different masks. Then, they become Masked Heroes! Masked Heroes’ effects disrupt your opponent’s strategy. Their effects destroy cards and banish cards. For example, Masked HERO Dark Law banishes cards from your opponent’s hand!
Masked HERO Acid
Masked HERO Acid is a great card for every Elemental HERO deck. He destroys all of your opponent’s Spell cards and Trap cards when he is special summoned. Then, your opponent’s monsters lose 300 ATK. Masked HERO Acid is powerful enough to destroy many cards. His effect makes it easier to destroy your opponent’s stronger monsters.
Masked HERO Dian
Awesome is the perfect word to describe Masked HERO Dian. His artwork is amazing, and his effect is perfect for HERO decks. You may special summon one level 4 or lower HERO monster from your deck when Dian destroys an opponent’s monster. You quickly gain access to your deck’s best Elemental Heroes. Then, you create amazing combos the special summon.
Masked HERO Dark Law
Masked HERO Dark Law lays down the law. His effect banishes one random card from your opponent’s hand if they draw a card outside the draw phase. I like this effect. Masked HERO Dark Law forces your opponent to obey the normal rules or face the consequences. The effect slows down your opponent. It prevents your opponent from gaining an advantage with a large hand. Furthermore, your opponent will not play any effects to draw cards.
Spell Cards
Spell cards are the bread and butter of Elemental HERO decks. You need to play Spell Cards such as Polymerization and Miracle Fusion to Fusion Summon Elemental Heroes! In addition, there are many Spell cards to enhance your deck. These cards add cards to your hand, and counter your opponent’s strategy. Play your Spell cards early and often!
H – Heated Heart
Unfortunately, every archetype has duds. H – Heated Heart is one of those mediocre cards. It gives 500 ATK to your monster and it inflicts piercing damage to your opponent. The card is too slow, and your opponent can counter it. Stay away from this card.
E – Emergency Call
E-Emergency Call searches your deck for an Elemental HERO, and adds it to your hand. This card is great when you need a particular Elemental HERO for a fusion. It is also useful when you do not have any monsters in your hand. I always play at least one copy of E-Emergency Call per deck. I need to save space for my fusion cards.
R – Righteous Justice
R – Righteous Justice is a Heavy Storm for Elemental HERO decks. It destroys Spell cards and Trap cards equal to the number of Elemental Heroes on the field. Play this card when you have two or more Elemental Heroes on the field. Then, you can effectively destroy your opponent’s Spell cards and Trap cards. You want to destroy as many cards as possible.
O – Oversoul
Most archetypes have their exclusive version of Monster Reborn. Elemental HERO has a card similar to Monster Reborn. O – Oversoul special summons one Elemental HERO Normal Monsters from your graveyard. Unfortunately, you cannot special summon Effect Monsters with this card. The best Elemental Heroes are Effect Monsters. I would not play this card. Elemental HERO Normal Monsters do not have a place in today’s decks.
Mask Change
Mask Change is the best card for Fusion Summons. It Fusion Summons your Masked Heroes from the extra deck. Furthermore, you only need on Elemental HERO to perform the summon. Masked Heroes are some of the strongest HERO monsters in the game. Play a full set of Mask Change.
Miracle Fusion
Miracle Fusion is a fantastic card, and should be played in every Elemental HERO deck. This powerful card fuses two monsters on your field or your Graveyard. It is very useful when you do not have monsters in your hand. Miracle Fusion uses your Graveyard as an additional resource for Fusion Materials. I often play Miracle Fusion to fuse two Elemental Heroes from my Graveyard.
Skyscraper 2 – Hero City
Skyscraper 2 – Hero City is one of the coolest Field Spells in Yu-Gi-OH! It special summons one Elemental HERO monster that was destroyed by battle per turn. You are able to return your best Elemental HERO monsters from the graveyard to the field. However, this card only has synergy with Elemental Heroes. This effect is unable to special summon Masked Heroes and generic HERO monsters.
Trap Cards
I prefer playing generic Trap cards in most of my decks. Generic Trap cards are the strongest Trap cards in the game. Elemental HERO is not known for playing Traps. The archetype relies on Spell cards and their monsters’ effects. A few generic Trap cards and one for the archetype can build a solid deck.
Hero Signal
Hero Signal special summons one level four or lower Elemental HERO monster from your hand or deck when your monster is destroyed by battle. You gain a card after losing a card in battle. You maintain your resources on the field. Furthermore, you have access to a monster for Fusion Summons. You may also play Mask Change on your new monster to Fusion Summon a powerful HERO!
The Final Word
Elemental HERO is one of the funniest decks to play. You are playing with superheroes in a trading card game. It is a unique experience. No other trading card game has an archetype with this theme. It is really cool to combine heroes to create more powerful heroes, and win duels with the strongest Elemental Heroes.