Duel Links map duelists: which ones to duel first

The duelists that show up on the Duel Links map are not all the same. Some give a lot more XP and rewards than others, and you can tell who is who just by the color of the ring around their face.

Quick summary

Cyan ring: regular duelist.
Strong blue ring: Legendary Duelist (Yugi, Kaiba, Pegasus...).
Gold ring: special duelists.
Gold hexagon with "x5", "x10": a duelist that gives lots of XP.

1. Regular duelists (cyan ring)

They are most of the map. Each one gives little XP and gold, but they come back over time. The map shows a meter with how many are still on the field; the total varies by account (on ours it was between 9 and 10).

On their own they pay little, but they are the bulk of farming: clearing the map every time it fills adds up to a lot more than dueling now and then.

2. Legendary Duelists (strong blue ring)

Characters like Yugi, Kaiba and Pegasus sometimes walk around the map. They give more XP and better rewards than a regular duelist, and the map meter does not count them. So even with the meter at zero, it is worth checking the map before assuming it is empty.

3. Special duelists (gold ring)

The gold ring marks special duelists. They show up now and then, often in corners of the map (near the Gate or the Shop entrance) and give above-average rewards. When you see one, duel it before the regular ones.

4. Gold hexagon ("x5", "x10")

This duelist appears in a gold hexagon, with a multiplier like "x5" or "x10" and a face with aviator goggles. It gives a lot of XP, several times a regular duelist. If you are leveling a character, it is the most valuable duel on the map.

Do not confuse it with the round gold ring of the merchant: the XP duelist is always the hexagon.

Best order: gold hexagon and gold ring first, then Legendary Duelists, and regular duelists last. Special ones disappear over time; regular ones come back.

5. Empty map? Use Duel Orbs

When every duelist is done, you can wait for them to come back or use Duel Orbs, which bring duelists right away. While you wait, the Raid Duel or the daily Auto-Duels at the Gate are good ways to use the time.

6. Why it matters

XP from map duels is what levels up characters, and character levels unlock gems and cards. Knowing who to duel first makes the same play time pay more. See also how to level up characters fast.

A clean map without watching it

DuelFarm recognizes each duelist by the ring color, duels the special ones first and clears the map every time it fills. When it is empty, it can use Duel Orbs.

Try it free Windows PC and the Steam version of Duel Links only. No sign-up, no card.