ADA Testing : The Testee's Study Guide

This is quick and brief little "Study Guide" made to help you on your testing, whether it be : Entrance Exam or Re-testing. First of all, you need to know the rules which the Rubric can be viewed here : https://armagedda.4umer.com/t60-new-testing-rubric Also, I do not believe it is listed there but there are some decks that you cannot use on the Test. These include :

Stall Decks - Decks that focus on not letting the opponent attack and "stalling" the whole duel. Using multiples of cards like (but not limited to) : Battle Fader, Swift Scarecrow, Threatening Roar, Waboku, etc. I'd say any deck with over 5 of these cards. Some people and I have seen this MULTIPLE times who stall to get a combo with the other part of cards in their deck then say "OH NO, THIS IS MY BLACKWING DECK!" when it is half blackwing and half stall.

Exodia Decks - Basically any deck with the 5 Exodia Cards : Exodia The Forbidden One, Left Arm of The Forbidden One, Left Leg of the Forbidden One, Right Arm of the Forbidden One, and Right Leg of the Forbidden One.

Burn Decks - These decks typically have a part of stall in it as well. They focus on getting their opponents lp to 0 without attacking, using cards like (but not limited to) : Lava Golem, Secret Barrel, Just Desserts, Ojama Trio, and D.D. Dynamite.

Mill Decks - Decks made to deck out the opponent ending in an automatic win. They either directly send their opponents cards to the grave or use cards to make their opponent draw a lot of cards so they eventually deck out. Sometimes it is a combination of both.

How to Prepare :
Study up, know your rulings. If you are new to the game, go ahead and read the rulebook another time. If you struggle with rulings, look at a few of the previous and current Dorm Homeworks and see if you can solve those Ruling Quizzes without help. Maybe do a few testings of your deck before testing. I do not suggest bringing your new deck to the testing just to "test" it out. If you haven't tried Siding yet, please do. Siding is a very good and game-changing part of the game, Good side deck cards however sometimes vary depending on the format. Ask for some tips if you're not sure what to side. If you haven't already, try out Match Duels and Advanced (Rated) or Advanced (Unrated) Formats as we usually use that format and usually do Match Duels here. Also, when you are ready to take your test, make sure your tester is a verified tester. You can tell who is a tester by their Username Color. All members with Sparkly Orange names, Cyan/Light Blue names, and Purple Names are able to test people legally. If your tester does not have one of these names, please contact an Administrator or Moderator right away as this will be a false testing.
P.S. If you are taking a Re-test and have already been placed in a dorm, if your Dorm Leader, other Dorm Leaders, or teachers are online then don't hesitate to ask them for a little Test Prep.

Choosing the Right Deck :
As stated before, there's a few decks that cannot be used. Make sure your deck is not like the ones described earlier, if you are not sure if it is test legal or not then please consult an Administrator or Experienced Tester. Here are some Guidelines for the right deck to choose :
- Make sure it's original and creative. Points for Originality and Creativity will be accounted for.
- Make sure it's competitive and capable of winning consistently. As stated before, test out your deck a few times.
- Make sure it's not 50 or 60 cards long in Main Deck. I suggest 40-45 cards long. Also, make sure it's in full length of Extra Deck and Side Deck.
- Use one of your BEST decks (as long as it's legal). Using one of your weakest or "Meh" Decks will only be a disadvantage for yourself.

During The Test :
Don't be nervous or negative during your test. Be happy and positive! Think of the possibilites. If you are negative and nervous the whole test, you might not do as well. If you lose Round 1, Don't worry! There is still 1-2 more rounds to go. Even if you get into the Dorm you didn't expect to get into, we can help you succeed all the way to Demise White Dorm. This is not a competition, this academy was meant to help you and your skills as well as have some fun while doing it. Don't forget the original point of the game, to have fun. Also, think a little before your actions. Read the cards fully and plan on your next moves before making them. This does not mean over-think, you cannot take 30min on your turn thinking about your moves.

After The Test :
After the test, view your test results. You will be placed in one of three dorms :
- Knight Brown Dorm
- Adreus Blue Dorm
- Demise White Dorm
You can tell what your dorm is by the color of your username, if you haven't gotten your username color then follow this key :
Brown: 0-129
Blue: 130-179
White: 180-200
Once you know what dorm you are in, post an Introduction Topic and a Dorm Room in the corresponding dorm section. After that, get to know your Dorm Leader, Fellow Dorm Members, and other members! Every week, we have Dorm Homework which can get you points and I personally think will help you improve in the game. You need 100 pts. to re-test and try to get for a higher dorm. You can also use points for other things around the Academy such as Deck Shops, GFX Shops, just for collecting them, etc. You can also get points by Shops, Tournaments, Arena Duels, and Shadow Duels. If you need additional training besides the Dorm Homeworks, feel free to ask Teachers and your Dorm Leader for additional help. So now you're pretty much ready to go after reading this. I will say one more thing before you exit out of this page : I wish you all Good Luck on your tests and please remember to have fun on them!