"The ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense." For many, those were the first words read on a Yu-Gi-Oh! card. Perhaps one of the most iconic cards in the game's history, Dark Magician has had many support cards added to the game through the years.

Yugi's iconic Ace Monster has formed into a rather large Archetype with a plethora of cards that strengthen any Dark Magician Deck. Not only that, but some Dark Magician cards are so powerful, many Decks are playing it that aren't even focused around Dark Magician itself. Being one of the oldest cards, Dark Magician gets tons of support.

10. Magicians' Combination

Magicians' Combination allows its user to Tribute a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl in order to Special Summon the one opposite of the Tributed Monster, and negate the effects of a card that is activated. A Dark Magician Deck doesn't have access to many cards that negate, making Magicians' Combination a very welcome addition to any Dark Magician Deck.

Not just that, but if the card is sent from the Field to the Graveyard while face-up, it can destroy any card on the Field without Targeting, which is one of the best forms of removal. In Master Duel, with so many hard to interact with Boss Monster running around, this kind of removal is incredibly powerful, and something Dark Magician will find itself taking advantage of quite a bit.

9. Apprentice Illusion Magician

Every Archetype appreciates a card that can search. When Apprentice Illusion Magician is Summoned, it can add a Dark Magician from the Deck to the Hand. It can Special Summon itself from the Hand as well at the low cost of discarding one card.

It has a bonus effect that if a Dark Spellcaster Monster battles, Apprentice Illusion Magician can send itself to the Graveyard and give that Monster 2000 Attack and Defense during the Damage Calculation of that battle. With Link Summoning in the game, being able to get a free Link Material on the Field is always welcome, which makes Apprentice Illusion Magician one of the best Dark Magician cards.

8. Dark Magic Expanded

Dark Magic Expanded is a Quick-Play Spell card that has multiple effects based on the number of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girls in the Graveyard. If one or more is there, it gives a Dark Spellcaster Monsters 1000 Attack for the rest of the turn. If there are two or more, the opponent cannot activate cards in response to Spell, Trap, and effect activations. Spell and Trap cards cannot be destroyed either for that turn. And lastly, if there are three or more, all Dark Spellcaster Monsters are unaffected by the opponent's card effects.

All effects can be used with one activation, allowing Dark Magic Expanded to give plenty of protection to its user's board. In Master Duel, these multiple effects come in handy. Since it's a best of one format, the versatility of Dark Magic Expanded is welcomed in Dark Magician Decks.

7. Dark Magical Circle

The card that broke Dark Magician Decks in Duel Links, Dark Magical Circle is great in the TCG as well. When it's activated, its user can look at the top three cards of their Deck and add Dark Magician or a Spell or Trap card that lists it specifically to the hand. In addition, if Dark Magician is Summoned while Dark Magical Circle is on the Field, it allows its controller to banish one card the opponent controls.

Since it's a Continuous Effect, the effect is a lot harder to negate. This makes it so Dark Magical Circle can get rid of problem cards easily and permanently, only needing to Summon Dark Magician, something quite easy to do. It's a card that not many players will focus on getting off the field quickly, and will in turn help set up for the banishing of the opponents Monsters

6. Magician's Rod

Magician's Rod is probably the best Normal Summon Dark Magician decks have. Upon Normal Summoning it, Magician's Rod can add a Spell and Trap card that specifically lists Dark Magician to the hand. This allows it to add a plethora of cards that can really turn the tide of a duel around.

Magician's Rod can also recycle itself from the Graveyard. If its user activates a Spell or Trap card while it's in the Graveyard, its controller can Tribute a Spellcaster Monster to add Magician's Rod back to the Hand. This allows it to be Normal Summoned again, and continuously repeat the cycle.

5. Magician Of Dark Illusion

Magician Of Dark Illusion is an incredibly easy-to-Summon Monster, and can very quickly snowball Duels in its user's favor. While it can be Normal Summoned, Magician Of Dark Illusion can be Special Summoned from the hand by simply activating a Spell or Trap card during the opponent's turn.

Once on the Field, if a Spell or Trap card is activated (or an effect is used), it can target a Dark Magician in the Graveyard and Special Summon it. When combined with Dark Magical Circle, this can lead to a ton of Banishing while gaining Monsters to Attack with or use for Extra Deck material like Dark Magician Fusion cards. For Master Duel players, the opponent won't be able to counterplay this well, as they'll be lacking the tools in order to stop it.

4. The Dark Magicians

The Dark Magicians is quite a versatile Fusion Monster. Once per turn, if any Spell or Trap Card is activated (including the opponent's), it allows its user to draw a card, and Set it if it was a Spell or Trap card. This Set card can be activated during that same turn. When combined with Deck stacking cards like Dark Magical Circle, this allows Dark Magician decks to very easily draw into cards they may need, including more disruption for the opponent's turn.

Even if The Dark Magician gets destroyed, it can float into both Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl from the hand, deck, or Graveyard, making it one of the best Dark Magician Fusion cards. In Master Duel, it's already easy to thin out your deck thanks to cards like Maxx "C," and The Dark Magicians' effect will only help you to get to your key cards quicker.

3. Eternal Soul

The best Trap card Dark Magician Decks have access to, Eternal Soul is a simple but efficient card for the Archetype. Once per turn, Eternal Soul can either Special Summon a Dark Magician from the hand or Graveyard, or add a Dark Magic Attack or Thousand Knives from the deck to the hand.

In addition, Eternal Soul offers protection to every Dark Magician on the Field, as it makes them unaffected by the opponent's card effects. The downside is that if Eternal Soul leaves the Field, all Monsters on the Field are destroyed. This downside is generally worth it, as many powerful cards can be treated as Dark Magician and give them powerful protection. If you're playing in Master Duel, since there is no sideboarding Eternal Soul is much better, as the odds of running into Spell and Trap removal is even lower.

2. Magicians' Souls

Magicians' Souls does a whole lot. It has two effects. If it is on the Field, its controller can send up to two Spells or Traps from the Hand to the Graveyard to draw that many cards. In addition, it can send a Level Six or higher Spellcaster Monster from the Deck to the Graveyard to either Special Summon itself, or send itself to the Graveyard to Special Summon a Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl from the Graveyard.

This can get a free Dark Magician onto the Field, or Spell and Trap cards into the Graveyard with powerful effects there. It adds a large level of consistency to Dark Magicians, which Master Duel players will appreciate due to its best of one format. Magicians' Souls is a must-run in the best Dark Magician decks.

1. Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon

Despite having Red-Eyes in the name, Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon is a Dark Magician card as well, with the Fusion Material for it requiring Dark Magician. The card can not be destroyed by card effects or Targeted by them. During the Main Phase, it can destroy Monsters the opponent controls equal to the number of Normal Monsters used for its Summon (most often two).

It can also negate a card or effect at the simple cost of discarding a card and gain Attack while doing so. Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon is incredibly hard to get rid of, with multiple power effects to make it not just the best Dark Magician card, but one of the best cards in the game.

Be warned, players of Master Duel, however. Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon is so good, it's banned in the game, making in inaccessible for any decks to use.

Source: www.thegamer.com

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Best Dark Magician Cards, Ranked