Now I'm sure every duelist here is familiar with monster types. Of course, our monsters range from Aqua to Zombie types, from Toon to Tuner sub-categories, and from Normal monsters to Exceed monsters. I bet some of you won't bother reading this till the very end since it seems very basic, but before you close the tab, this is not what I'm discussing.


Every card has a reason to exist. There is not such thing as a worthless card. All things come in threes, huh? Wrong! There happens to be a fourth classification for monsters which Konami has kept as a secret to themselves. Many duelists are unable to see this due to how well-hidden or deep it is.
So what does this fourth classification do? Actually, this classification determines the role a monster plays in a deck. It's not the effect. It's not the type. It's not the card frame. It all comes down to simple thinking and logic. I never said this fourth system was accurate as we will all have our individual thoughts. Before you get down to thinking out of the box over each monster, let me give you the basics.

Beaters, Swarmers, and Barriers

Just what are those? I don't think I'm familiar with those names. Those, my friend, are the only types for the fourth classification. Yes, that's right. Just these three. Some monsters may hold more than one type, like for instance, a monster doesn't have to be a Barrier only; it can be both a Barrier and a Swarmer. I'll explain everything in detail before moving on.

Beater

A beater is a monster which is used in cornering the opponent and locking him/her down. Beaters come in all shapes and sizes, but most of them can be identified with their rather high ATK values. The main role of the beater is to overlap all other attacks and strengths of your opponents' monsters and give him a hard time to get through it. Some even inflict battle damage to the opponent. Beaters were always looked up to back in the old days of the card game, and till this day, they are still used by all sorts of duelists. Now down to the examples.


Elemental Hero Neos Alius is one of the most common Beaters in Stun decks. Why is that? Look at his attack value. It's already peaking up to 1900. That alone overcomes nearly half the monsters in the game. Another is that it can also be used with Gemini Spark to clear your opponent's field, meaning that it can be used with other cards for Beating purposes.


Not a very well-known card, but Wanghu's attack is already up to 1700. In addition, its effect is what makes it extremely deadly, by locking the opponent's deck from using monsters below 1500 attack, the range for most other non-Beater monsters, so no Junk Synchron, Dandy Tokens, or Scapegoat.


Not only does Dark Strike Fighter have a high attack output, but it can also inflict effect damage as well. In case attacks don't work, there's always a way to knock your opponent senseless.


Again, Zero has one extraordinary attack power, and not just that, but the ability to destroy all monsters on your opponent's side of the field upon being removed from the field is a clear sign that this card is a Beater.

Barrier

Barrier monsters are those who were made in order to defend the player against the opponent's moves. Unlike the Beater, Barriers are the total opposite. Usually, their attack units are low, but their defense points are surprisingly high, to a degree that at times, most Beaters don't work against them. Their main purpose is stalling for a small amount of time for the player to regain control. Again, they too were common long before Fusion monsters showed up, but by time, pure Barriers these days are rare. Most of them combine with Swarmmers nowadays. They still hold an important position in most decks.


Infernity Guardian has a rather high defense output, and, thanks to its effect, if you have absolutely no cards in your hand, it's indestructible. Can keep most of the toughest monsters at bay.


Yes, even Effect Veiler is a Barrier. The ability to quickly negate the effect of a monster can help protect most duelists from oncoming dangers, such as Trishula, or Scrap Dragon, or even Debris Dragon.


Junk Gardna may not seem like much, but its high Defense points pretty much help well against dark forces. In addition, it has the ability to change the battle position of a monster, effective in disrupting the opponent's strategy to buy time.


Mudballman is here to keep the opponent at bay for as long as possible, being easy to summon and all. He has no special effect, but the idea of using his bulky 3000 defense points to stall is what makes him count.

Swarmmer

Swarmmers are the main engines which swarm a field or increase a player's card advantage, by adding a card to the hand or special summoning themselves or other monsters. Swarmmers were very uncommon, but with the introduction of new Fusion and Synchro monsters along the years, they have increased in size pretty quickly. They are most likely to have the lowest attack and defense outcome. Allow me to explain more using these cards.


Junk Synchron's effect allows you to special summon monsters from the graveyard of levels 2 or below. What's good is that it it gives you an advantage of 1. I have no idea how you're thinking about using that special summoned monster, but that's beyond this topic.


Darksoul is used in increasing hand advantage by adding X-Saber monsters to your hand upon being sent to the Graveyard. It still may seem as a neutral advantage with no addition or subtraction, but that's what matters in order for the duelist to not run out of cards.


Upon being summoned, Formula Synchron allows you to draw a card from you deck, increasing you hand advantage. This is useful in order to come up with a good Plan B if your primary one backfires.


Unlike most other Fusion monsters, Multiple Piece Golem allows you to special summon the used material monsters from your Graveyard at the end of the Battle Phase. You may also happen to summon it in order to bring back a defeated Level Eater from your Graveyard and then use it along with the Fusion material monsters in a Synchro summon if you have a Face-up tuner.

Jackal

I thought you said there were only three types! Well, to be precise, I did, and I haven't changed my mind. A Jackal is a monster which can perform the function of more than one type of the three mentioned above. They have become very popular during the debut of the 5D's series, and I doubt that any good deck will not use them wisely. They come in all shapes and sizes. These are rather harder to figure out than the rest.


This rabid hamster is one of the most rarely-used cards due to its racist traits of favoring Beasts. What makes this card a Jackal is its ability to block off most attacks AND to special summon a monster from the deck. I'm sure it's obvious if you take a closer look.


Cyber Dragon is a Swarmmer for its effect, and a Beater as well for its high attack points. Actually, its Swarmmer traits is what makes this card an excellent Beater, especially if you're looking forward to summoning a Chimeratech Fortress Dragon using your opponent's monsters.


Stardust works both as a Beater and as a Barrier. Its 2500 attack points aren't that simple to get through, and its negation effect runs both ways. Sometimes, it works to protect itself and other cards on your field, and during other moments, its used in freezing your opponent stiff so that he/she is unable to counter a move you played out.


Elemental Hero The Shining is both a Beater and a Swarmmer. It has a large Attack output in addition to its attack-increasing effect, and it give you an advantage of 2 after its destruction, so you get a card to make up for it and an additional extra one too.

Relations

Beaters, Barriers, and Swarmmers relate to each other the same way Grass, Water, and Fire do. Beaters resemble fire in power, Barriers resemble water in protection, and Swarmmers represent grass in spreading and growing. Beaters were made to take out Swarmmers, but Barriers were created to put Beaters at a hault. Swarmmers are used to summon a powerful force to eradicate Barriers. All in all, Konami created this endless cycle of battle so there is no "Most Powerful" monster in the game.
Now being a Jackal gives monsters the privilege of outmatching a certain type. For example, Snowman Eater acts as both a Barrier and a Beater; it blocks against various attacks, but also forces the opponent to lose a card, so its difficult for Beaters to get through it. Gorz, The Emissary of Darkness swarms the fields with itself and its token besides its high attack power, making it a Swarmmer and a Beater against most Barriers. Thunder King Rai-Oh has a devastating attack of 1900 as a Beater, and negates special summons as a Barrier, so there is no escape for Swarmmers.
It is important to equip your deck with Beaters, Barrier, and Swarmmers at all times, and Jackals are even better.

Identifying a Monster

There is no special ruling to claiming whether a monster is a Barrier or a Beater; it usually comes down to the Duelist himself/herself. However, I have a ready made guide I use myself to spot any of the latter for those who are still confused or are yet new to the professional way of dueling. Usually, these are based on monster effects and at times, attack and defense points.

Beaters
High Attack
Low Defense
Destruction Effects
Effects Which Target Face-Down Monsters
Backrow-related Effects
Effects Which Remove Other Cards From Play
Effects Which Return Cards to The Hand or Deck
Effects Which Lockdown Opponent
Effects Which Increase Attack Power
Effects Which Allow for Direct Attacks
Effects Which Deal Damage
Lockdown Negation Effects Which Demobilize the Opponent.

Barriers
High Defense
Low Attack
Negation Effects
Effects Which Prevent Destruction In Or Out Of Battle
Effects Which End the Battle Phase
Effects Which Reduce Damage
Effects Which Increase Lifepoints

Swarmers
Low Attack
Low Defense
Special Summon Effects
Effects which Add Cards to Hand
Effects Which Allow Player to Draw a Card
Effects Which Take Control of Other Monsters

That is the list I use to identify monsters. You are free to make up your own as you must match it to your own personal points of view, but again I repeat, this here is to help those who still have a hard time.

Final Remarks

I suppose that's it for my little guide. Now good luck planning out newer decks using this article. Also, you have permission to distribute this anywhere as long as you give credit to the original author.
This guide was written by Kimo Force on May 25th, 2011. Spreading this article has been permitted as long as the content is not altered and this statement in red remains as it is without being removed.

© Kimo Force

Nicely done man XD

Good job Kimo.

nice article

great job on the topic

One of the best articles I ever readed. Good Job !