Dark Magician

 This card is one of the most iconic monsters in the game, along with Blue-Eyes White Dragon, mainly because they were the signature cards of the main characters of the first TV series anime. Dark Magician in particular, is the signature card of the main protagonist, Yugi Muto.

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This card's ATK of 2500 established the ATK value of the other Yu-Gi-Oh! series' protagonists' ace cards, which includes Elemental HERO Neos from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Stardust Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Number 39: Utopia from Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL  Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, and Firewall Dragon and Cyberse Clock Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS.

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All of those monsters have 2000 DEF as well (except for Firewall Dragon). Even though this card has 2100 DEF, the Bandai version of it has 2000 DEF.

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This card has the same ATK of 2500 as the signature cards of other manga main protagonists, which are Jaden Yuki's Elemental HERO Terra Firma, Yusei Fudo's Stardust Spark Dragon, Yuma Tsukumo's Number 39: Utopia, and Yuya Sakaki's Odd-Eyes Phantom Dragon.

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This monster appears in the artworks of Bond Between Teacher and Student, Card of Fate, Dark Burning Magic, Dark Magic Attack,  Dark Magic Expanded, Dark Magic Twin Burst, Dark Magic Inheritance, Dark Spiral Force, Destined Rivals, Dimension Explosion, Draw of Fate, Illusion Magic, Legacy of the Duelist, Magician Navigation, Magician's Selection, Magicians' Souls, Magicians' Combination, Speed Spell - Speed Fusion, Soul Servant, The Dark Magicians

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This card appears in the artworks of Exchange (in two of its artworks) and EHERO Pit Boss.

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Dark Magical Circle appears in this card's artwork.

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This card's staff appears in the artworks of Black Illusion and Magician's Rod.

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This card's robe appears in the artwork of Magician's Robe.

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This card, along with Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Red-Eyes Black Dragon, have the most alternate artworks.

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This is most likely the single most supported card of all, with fifteen cards specifically stating Dark Magician as part of their effect.

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As its lore text implies, this monster has the highest ATK and DEF total combined sum for a Normal Monster wizard (male Spellcaster). The lore text of this card may also refer to its high amount of Spell and Trap Cards it has access to.

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This card has several counterparts.

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A retrained counterpart: Magician of Dark Illusion

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An alternate counterpart: Dark Magician (Arkana)

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Two advanced counterparts: Dark Eradicator Warlock and Sorcerer of Dark Magic

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A female counterpart: Dark Magician Girl

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A Ritual counterpart: Magician of Chaos

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Two Chaos counterparts: Magician of Black Chaos and Dark Magician of Chaos (although the latter can also be considered a retrain of the former)

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A Statue counterpart: Statue Dark Magician

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A Toon counterpart: Toon Dark Magician

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A Warrior counterpart: Dark Magician Knight

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An Aged counterpart: Dark Sage

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Two Xyz counterparts: Ebon High Magician and Ebon Illusion Magician

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A Match winner counterpart: Legendary Magician of Dark

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A LIGHT or progenitor counterpart: Palladium Oracle Mahad

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An Illusion counterpart: Illusion Magician

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This monster has several counterparts from different series.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Miracle Flipper

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Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: T.G. Hyper Librarian

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Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL: Gagaga Magician

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Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: Xiangke Magician

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Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Cyberse Magician

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Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS: Sevens Road Magician

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The alternate-art red Dark Magician used by Arkana in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime and manga may be seen here. Despite having the same name, he is not the same card as the purple Dark Magician always used by Yugi Mutou, as he has a different eight-digit passcode.

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Three of the artworks of Dark Magician (LOB/SYE, SDY and Arkana version), picture his staff green, whereas in one version (SD6/PCY) and on Dark Magic Attack his staff is red and blue.

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This card's first OCG artwork is taken from , specifically from the panel where Dark Yugi declares an attack on Koumori Dragon with this monster.

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This card's second OCG artwork is taken from , specifically from the panel showing this monster being Summoned, albeit with minor changes in detail. Dark Magician is also coloured the way in the manga, rather than the anime.

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This card's third OCG artwork is taken from . However, it is derived from 2 separate panels showing Pandora's copy of Dark Magician. The first panel is where the 2 Dark Magicians are shown together with their displayed ATK values, after Pandora Summons his copy of Dark Magician for the first time. The second panel is on the same page, showing the same Dark Magician.

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This card's fourth OCG artwork is taken from , specifically from the panel showing this monster being Summoned.

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This card's sixth OCG artwork is taken from , specifically from the panel showing this monster being Summoned.

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This card's seventh OCG artwork is based of his design in Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions.

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This card along with Blue-Eyes White Dragon are the only 2 cards to have had an official Chinese print before the release of Duel Starter Deck standardized Chinese as an OCG language. Its Chinese version originated in Japan, therefore its Chinese name includes the character 黒 (black) which is an exclusive one to Japanese, compared to the Chinese counterpart, 黑".

Other=Dungeon Dice Monsters - Dark Magician (Arkana) - Character

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OCG Rulings

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Tributing "Skilled Dark Magician" with three Spell Counters on it is a cost to activate its effect which Special Summons "Dark Magician".: Effect Monster > Skilled Dark Magician

You cannot activate the effect of "Skilled Dark Magician" or "Skilled White Magician" if you have no "Dark Magician" or "Buster Blader" in your hand/Deck/Graveyard.: Can the effect of "Skilled Dark Magician" be activated when there is no "Dark Magician" in your hand etc?

"Bottomless Trap Hole" only destroys and removes from play the monster(s) whose Summon(s) provided the correct timing for "Bottomless Trap Hole" to be activated.: If "Bottomless Trap Hole" is activated when multiple monsters are Special Summoned simultaneously, then are all monsters destroyed and removed from play?
Example: "Monster Reborn" is activated and targets "Dark Magician" (2500 ATK). "Birthright" is chained and targets "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" (3000 ATK). "Birthright" resolves first and Special Summons "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", and then "Dark Magician" is Special Summoned as Chain Link 1. If "Bottomless Trap Hole" is activated, then only "Dark Magician" is destroyed and removed from play because its Summon allowed "Bottomless Trap Hole

Previously Official Rulings

Mentions in Other Rulings

A Hero Emerges: You can Special Summon a high-level monster, like "Dark Magician", with "A Hero Emerges". But if your opponent selects a Special Summon-only monster like "Dark Necrofear", or a Spirit Monster, it is sent to the Graveyard.

Big Bang Shot: If you equip your "Big Bang Shot" to your opponent's "Dark Magician", and "Dark Magician" attacks your "Giant Soldier of Stone", the opponent of the owner of the "Big Bang Shot" takes the damage (so your opponent, who attacked with "Dark Magician", takes 900 points of damage.)

Chthonian Alliance: The monster equipped with this card does not count towards the bonus. So if you have 2 “Dark Magicians” on the field, and 1 is equipped with “Chthonian Alliance”, it has +800 ATK.

Contract with the Abyss: "Contract with the Abyss" is used as a generic substitute for Ritual Spell Cards like "Black Illusion Ritual" and "Contract with the Dark Master". You cannot use "Contract with the Abyss" to Ritual Summon a non-Ritual Monster like "Dark Magician".

Cyber Blader: Example 1: The opponent controls “Gemini Elf” and “Dark Magician”. The opponent attacks with their “Dark Magician”, attacking “Cyber Blader”, whose ATK is currently doubled. The opponent activates “Mystik Wok” and Tributes their “Gemini Elf” to gain 1900 Life Points. “Cyber Blader” now has 2100 ATK points, so it does not destroy “Dark Magician”, but since the opponent has only 1 monster now, “Cyber Blader” is not destroyed as a result of battle, either.

Dark Magic Attack: If you activate "Dark Magic Attack", and the "Dark Magician" is removed from the field with "Interdimensional Matter Transporter" or "Compulsory Evacuation Device", or flipped face-down with "Book of Moon", or destroyed by "Ring of Destruction", "Dark Magic Attack's" effect still resolves.

Dark Magic Curtain: If you activate “Dark Magic Curtain” to Special Summon “Dark Magician” and later in the turn another effect would cause you to Special Summon a monster, you will not be able to Special Summon the monster. For example, your “Insect Queen” would not be able to Special Summon an “Insect Monster Token” during your End Phase.

Dark Magic Curtain: If you Chain “Serial Spell” to “Dark Magic Curtain”, the effect that prevents you from Normal Summoning, Flip Summoning, or Special Summoning for the remainder of the turn is still applied. When “Serial Spell” resolves it will Special Summon 1 “Dark Magician” from your Deck and it will apply the Summon-restriction, so when “Dark Magic Curtain's” effect tries to resolve its effect will disappear because you cannot Special Summon a monster.

Dedication through Light and Darkness: You can Tribute a face-down "Dark Magician" to activate "Dedication through Light and Darkness".

Double Attack: If you use “Cost Down” so that your “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” in your hand is Level 6, then you cannot discard it to activate “Double Attack” and target your Level 7 “Dark Magician” on the field.

Metalsilver Armor: If you attack with "Dark Magician", and you control another monster equipped with "Metalsilver Armor", your opponent cannot activate "Magic Cylinder" because "Magic Cylinder" targets and only the monster equipped with "Metalsilver Armor" can be targeted (and it is not attacking).

Pole Position: If you control "Dark Magician" and your opponent controls "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", and you activate "Flint" targeting "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", and your opponent chains "Pole Position", then "Flint" is equipped meaninglessly to "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". If "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" is destroyed, "Flint" can be equipped to "Dark Magician" meaninglessly if you choose (even if other monsters are on the field).

Reasoning: You can Special Summon a high-level monster like "Dark Magician" with "Reasoning", but not Special Summon-only monsters like "Gate Guardian", Ritual Monsters, etc.

Serial Spell: If you activate "Monster Reborn", and chain "Serial Spell", discarding your entire hand, you can select and revive one of the monsters you discarded for the cost of "Serial Spell" to be the monster that "Serial Spell" Special Summons to the field. (For example, if you target "Dark Magician" with "Monster Reborn", then chain "Serial Spell" and discard "Buster Blader", you can use "Serial Spell" to Special Summon the "Buster Blader" you discarded to activate "Serial Spell".)

Skilled Dark Magician: This monster's effect does NOT target and you select the monster when you resolve the effect, so if you Tribute it to Special Summon "Dark Magician" from your Graveyard and your opponent chains "Disappear" and removes that "Dark Magician", you can Special Summon a different "Dark Magician" from your hand/Deck/Graveyard instead.

Skilled Dark Magician: If there are no "Dark Magician" in your hand, Deck, and Graveyard, you cannot activate "Skilled Dark Magician's" effect that Special Summons "Dark Magician".

Skilled Dark Magician: If a player controls the opponent's "Skilled Dark Magician" and Tribute it with 3 Spell Counters, the player who controlled and Tributed the "Skilled Dark Magician" is the player who Special Summons "Dark Magician" from the hand, Deck, or Graveyard.

Thousand Knives: The required card only needs to be face-up on the field. It does not need to be a Monster Card, so if "Dark Magician" is equipped to your "Relinquished", you can activate "Thousand Knives".

Thunder Nyan Nyan: "Thunder Nyan Nyan" can be destroyed by her own effect between steps in a chain. For example, the opponent targets your "Thunder Nyan Nyan" with "Snatch Steal". You chain "Call of the Haunted" to Special Summon "Dark Magician" from your Graveyard, a DARK monster. The chain resolves as follows: "Call of the Haunted" resolves, "Thunder Nyan Nyan" is destroyed because there is a DARK monster on the field, "Snatch Steal"’s effect disappears because the target is no longer on the field.