Trap Cards will help you out with different effects, just like Magic Cards. The big difference between them is that you can activate Trap Cards during your opponent's turn. Many Magic Cards have effects useful for offense, but Trap Cards have the ability to surprise the opponent by disrupting their attacks and strategies. Using Trap Cards can sometimes be tricky, since your opponent might have to do certain things before you can unleash them.
Normal Trap Cards have single-use effects and once their effects are resolved, they will be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, just like Normal Magic Cards. They are also similar to Normal Magic Cards because once activated, their effects are not likely to be stopped. However, your opponent can destroy your face-down Trap Cards on the turn they were Set, or before the time is right to activate them. Because of this, you must be smart about how you use your Trap Cards.
Continuous Trap Cards can have effects that limit your opponent's options, or that slowly damage the opponent's Life Points.
Magic Cards can be activated during the Main Phases even in the same turn that you Set them (except for Quick-Play Magic Cards). Setting them does not allow you to use them on your opponent's turn; they still can only be activated during your Main Phases.
You can Set a Magic Card face-down on the field to bluff your opponent into thinking you have a powerful Trap.
Normal Trap Cards
Before you can activate a Trap Card, you must Set it on the field first. You cannot activate the Trap in the same turn that you Set it, but you can activate it at any time after that, starting from the beginning of the next turn.Normal Trap Cards have single-use effects and once their effects are resolved, they will be destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, just like Normal Magic Cards. They are also similar to Normal Magic Cards because once activated, their effects are not likely to be stopped. However, your opponent can destroy your face-down Trap Cards on the turn they were Set, or before the time is right to activate them. Because of this, you must be smart about how you use your Trap Cards.
Ritual Trap Cards
These Trap Cards are used to perform Ritual Summons. Use these cards in the same way you would use Normal Trap Cards.Continuous Trap Cards
Just like Continuous Magic Cards, Continuous Trap Cards remain on the field once they are activated and their effects continue while they are face-up on the field. Some Continuous Trap Cards have abilities similar to the Ignition Effects or Trigger Effects that can be found on Effect Monster Cards.Continuous Trap Cards can have effects that limit your opponent's options, or that slowly damage the opponent's Life Points.
Equip Trap Cards
These cards allows you to give an extra effect to 1 monster (either your own or your opponent's, depending on the card). They remain on the field after they are activated. When you activate the Equip Trap Card on the field, you normally overlap the card slightly with the affected Monster Card. The Equip Trap Card still occupies one of your Magic & Trap Card Zone spaces. If the equipped monster is destroyed, flipped face-down, or removed from the field, its Equip Trap Cards are destroyed.Quick-Play Trap Cards
These cards do not function like other Trap Cards. Quick-play Trap Cards can be Set in the Magic/Trap Card Zone; however, Quick-play Trap Cards can only be activated during the opponent's turn if the Trap Card is in your Hand. Conversely, these Trap Cards can only be activated during your own turn if the Trap Card is Set in the Magic/Trap Card Zone, including the turn it was Set face down.Counter Trap Cards
These Trap Cards are normally activated in response to the activation of other cards, and may have abilities like negating the effects of those cards. The basic rule is that Counter Traps can only be used against the card they are immediately following in a chain. These types of Traps are effective against Normal Magic Cards or Normal Trap Cards, which are otherwise hard to stop; however, many Counter Trap Cards require a cost to activate them.The Difference Between Set Magic Cards and Set Trap Cards
Magic Cards can be Set face-down on the field like Trap Cards. However, the rules for the two types of cards are different.Magic Cards can be activated during the Main Phases even in the same turn that you Set them (except for Quick-Play Magic Cards). Setting them does not allow you to use them on your opponent's turn; they still can only be activated during your Main Phases.
You can Set a Magic Card face-down on the field to bluff your opponent into thinking you have a powerful Trap.