Here's the breakdown:
* Most Field Spells: Their effects usually apply to the field itself. This could mean:
* Changing the way monsters behave: For example, "Forest" allows monsters with the "Beast" attribute to gain ATK.
* Boosting or hindering certain types of monsters: "Swords of Revealing Light" prevents monsters from attacking.
* Adding other effects to the game: "Galaxy Cyclone" lets you destroy Spell/Trap cards your opponent controls.
* Some Field Spells have player-specific effects: There are some Field Spell cards that specifically affect the players themselves. These effects might:
* Grant special abilities: "Magician's Rod" lets you draw a card each time a Spell card is activated.
* Impose restrictions: "The Seal of Orichalcos" forces both players to control only monsters with the same name.
* Offer rewards or penalties: "The Wicked Avatar" makes you take damage whenever your opponent activates a monster effect.
Important Notes:
* Read the card text carefully: The effects of each Field Spell card are unique. Always check the text to see if the effect applies to the field, to players, or both.
* Field Spells don't cancel each other out: If both players activate a Field Spell, both effects are active simultaneously. You need to consider how these effects interact with each other.
Example:
* Player 1 plays "Forest" (Beast-type monsters gain ATK)
* Player 2 plays "Swords of Revealing Light" (monsters can't attack)
In this scenario, both Field Spell effects are in play. Beast-type monsters still get a boost, but they can't attack due to "Swords of Revealing Light."
So, to answer your question directly: Whether Field Spell effects apply to players depends entirely on the specific cards being played.