Hey guys, Jason here. Here's a common problem I've been seeing around players, understanding between costs and effects. The basic rule to this is, costs must be paid before the effect can be activated. This example will be on one of my favorite cards, Card Trooper. 

Once per turn: You can choose a number from 1 to 3, then send that many cards from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard; this card gains 500 ATK for each card sent to the Graveyard this way, until the End Phase. When this card you control is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard: Draw 1 card.


This is easiest done with PSCT. Under PSCT, the cost is between the Colon and semi-colon or another case could be, Charge of the Light Brigade. 

Send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard; add 1 Level 4 or lower "Lightsworn" monster from your Deck to your hand.


In this case, the cost of the card is before the semi-colon. But most cards will have their cost under these 2 variations if they have new card text. 

An example from older card text would be the Fabled series of cards. Drawing on Fabled Kushano as an example:
You can discard 1 "Fabled" monster to the Graveyard except "Fabled Kushano" to add this card from your Graveyard to your hand.


Notice the to in the old text, this indicates that anything before the to is a cost to the effect. 

So your assignment for this week? Find a card. But that card cannot any of which I've listed. (No trooper, Charge or any Fabled card) The card will be 50-100 OD. With that card choice, the more versatile the cost under most condition, it can reward you up to 200 OD. So good luck,  Jason out! Lets rock and fly!

Yes I know mah costs! Something's are more expensive than others and some things are cheaper!  Now test me JASON!

Hon, you need a proper answer first, -.-

Uhm.. Solemn Judgment!

fine, 100 total for that. I'll be testing you tomorrow,

No you test me now.

seven tools of the bandit. cost is 1000 lp's to negate the activation of a trap card. if negated the cost of 1000 lps is still paid.

Solemn Warning has a cost where you must pay 2000 LP's as a cost to activate the card's effect, regardless of whether its effect is negated by say Dark Bribe, Seven Tools of the Bandit or even Solemn Judgement itself. Also if you have less than 2000 LP's e.g. 1500 you cannot activate the card because you need 2000 LP's to pay the cost. Also being a cost means that it is not classed as Effect Damage and you cannot stop the LP loss though cards like Ring of Defence nor can you reflect it back to your opponent with cards like Barrel Behind the Door.

Solemn Judgment... negate anything (except effects) at any time by paying half of your LP. You're down to 50 LP? No problem, you can use Judgment anyway.

Either way, about the main article, I think you should explain Summoning Procedures (since those technically have "costs" too) and certain effects with apparent costs that aren't... costs (e.g. Miracle Fusion, the 2nd part of Super Polymerization's effect, Light and Darkness Dragon, etc).
Just my 2 bucks though.

one of the defining cost cards for me would be Pheonix Wing Wind Blast the Discard one card Cost can be used well to work with fabled monsters effect whilst also effectively setting your opponent back a turn by placing one card on the top of their deck.

One of the card I use frequently that would fit under cost is Stronghold Guardian. If a defense position monster's being attacked you can discard it to the graveyard to have that monster gain 1500 def. points.

Even though i don't like picking staples for assignments i sort of think monster reborn has one of the most flexible costs of any card ( by flexible i mean can be used at almost any time with a a very small draw back ). All you have to do is target the monster you want to special summon. Thats the cost of monster reborn and seeing as any deck can run the card, it can be used at practically any point of the game, and the fact that it can instantly turn a situation you would normally lose into a situation for you to win or even the playing field.

Phoenixofpain wrote:

Even though i don't like picking staples for assignments i sort of think monster reborn has one of the most flexible costs of any card ( by flexible i mean can be used at almost any time with a a very small draw back ). All you have to do is target the monster you want to special summon. Thats the cost of monster reborn and seeing as any deck can run the card, it can be used at practically any point of the game, and the fact that it can instantly turn a situation you would normally lose into a situation for you to win or even the playing field.

 Targeting is not a cost, it just happens at the same time.

return from different dimension giving up hlf your life points but you get to summon mny bnished monsters for one finl go

GaGaGa Guardian: You can discard one card from your hand;This card can not be destroyed by battle this turn.

Arcana Force XXI- The World

By tributing 2 monsters you can skip your opponents turn.

My bad Kyo, My mistake. Instead i'll use the other card i had. Lightning Vortex. Discard a card and destroy all face up monsters your opponent controls. You almost always have at least 1 other card in your hand so you can almost always activate it anytime your turn ( while still out classed by dark hole still has use in other decks or if you prefer not to lose your field ).

First part of the assignment find a card with a cost. A lot run through my head so I think I'll cover two of them.
One being Obelisk the Tormentor and Double Spell.

First, Obelisk. His card states: “Requires 3 Tributes to Normal Summon (cannot be Normal Set.) This card's Normal Summon cannot be negated. When Normal Summoned cards and effects cannot be activated. Cannot be targeted by Spells, Traps, or card effects. During the End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Send it to the Graveyard. You can Tribute 2 monsters, destroy all monsters your opponent controls. This card cannot declare an attack the turn this effect is activated.”

As his effect states, you can tribute two monsters. That's a cost to destroy things.

Second, Double Spell. It states: “Discard 1 Spell Card, then target 1 Spell Card in your opponent's Graveyard; as this card's effect resolution, follow the target's card text as if you had use it yourself.”

You're paying with a spell card to help yourself. Now giving up a useless spell card at the time to get you that Monster Reborn that's sitting in your opponent's graveyard. Yeah, not a bad price if you ask me.

Blazer, you're amazing..

-"Dark Bribe": It isn't a cost to have your opponent draw one card.

-"Evilswarm Kerykeion": It's a cost to banish an Evilswarm monster from your graveyard, in order to add another Evilswarm monster from your graveyard to your hand.

-"Trade-In": It's a cost to discard a level eight monster, to draw two cards.

-"Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of The Beginning": It's a summon condition, to banish one light, and one dark monster from your graveyard, in order to special summon this monster. The banishing of both of these monsters, is considered a cost.

Super poly got to discard 1 card
mind drain pay 1000 lp

Royal magical library = by removing 3 spell counters we can draw 1 card.
Galaxy - Eyes Photon Dragon(Im not sure if this right) = Photon dragon can be special summon by tributing 2 monster in the field that has 2000 or more attack.