YCS Toronto Analaysis Pt. 3 - Tech cards and cards that saw an increase in play

Didn't really have time to place this part last weekend, but here it is.

Techs used in the top decks

Aqua Spirit (Mermails): 3 of the 4 Mermail players that topped main decked THREE Aqua Spirit, instantly hyping the card. Anyone who still has this old card (hasn't been reprinted in EIGHT years), can now make a profit of it, because a playset of this card will fetch you 10$ (if not, more).

Archfiend’s Roar (Infernity): Its effect is similar to that of Call of the Haunted, but it comes at a (small) cost. Positive side is that, unlike Call, this card is a normal trap so the revived monster is unaffected by random MST’s.

Chain Whirlwind: This card was always considered subpar to Storm & MST, but since we’re in a format without either Heavy Storm nor Giant Trunade, this suddenly became interesting. When a card on either side of the field (either monster or backrow) is destroyed by card effect, you can target 2 spells or traps and destroy them. In this format, with lots of backrow play, this card became good stuff!

Debunk: Probably the most hyped card of the new format, and with good reason. It’s a counter trap that stops hand traps and stops monster effects that activate in the hand/grave. It stops your opponent from plussing from Maxx “C”; it stops your opponent’s Veiler if you want to continue looping; it stops those Atlantean effects in the grave; it stops the summon effect of Abyssmegalo and High Priestess (yes, those are effects) and it stops the special summon of a Dragon Ruler (either hand or grave). It IS thé best counter trap at the moment.

Deep Dark Trap Hole: A weaker version of Bottomless Trap hole, that only works for Lv. 5 and higher monsters. Seems a nice tech to counter Return from the different Dimension (lol) and to counter Mermail/Dragon players in general. Other than that, Bottomless Trap Hole remains way better.

Orient Dragon: Synchro's are seeing a massive increase in play, so guess it’s time for this guy to finally shine.

Retort (Prophecy): It was already well known that in certain decks, this card could be very lethal when having a mirror match. Best use for this card today is in the Prophecy mirror match. Your opponent activates a Book of Secrets/Fate? This card says “screw you” if you have one in your grave. AND then you can add that Spellbook back to your hand.

Spiritualism: This card caught my eye, as the description that came along with it was 100% correct. This is THE perfect card when facing Infernities. This bounces a spell/trap of the opponent back to the hand, and your opponent can NOT counter it. It’s a mini-Giant Trunade, but the opponent cannot react, which renders Infernity Barrier, Void Ogre Dragon and Dark Bribe useless. And with a card in the hand, those Infernity barriers are not going to do much if you’re trying to kill your opponent.

The Transmigration Prophecy: If only this card was back at two (or more), it would be even better! This card works wonders against the discard effect of Dragon Rulers and works good against discarded Atlanteans, since all discarded monsters must remain in the graveyard in order to resolve their effects. If they’re sent back to the deck BEFORE they’re allowed to resolve, the effects will be a dud.

May the spirits protect you from those Infernal monsters.

Cards seeing an increased use in play

Black Rose Dragon: Due to the Debris-Dandy engine being massively played again, Black Rose Dragon is seeing a massive return. Many extra decks now have 2 Black Roses.

Dark Armed Dragon: Strange to put this on the list, but last format was all about avoiding Ophion (so DAD was put in the binders). With less Evilswarm players and the ES-players focusing less on Ophion, DAD came back (even IN Evilswarm decks).

D.D.R.: Used as a random tech before, Different Dimension Reincarnation now has become the number 1 staple spell of Dragon Rulers. Discard one (dragon ruler), special summon 1 banished dragon ruler and if the card is destroyed, it’s sent to the grave instead (to abuse its effect again). Yeah, this card just placed a big target on itself for the next F&L list.

Imperial Iron Wall: Best side card this format against both Dragon Rulers and Prophecies. Nuff said.

Malevolent Catastrophe: The obvious Heavy Storm replacement now that this is a format without both Trunade and Storm. Though beware, many players that topped did mention that this card does not always work out the way they wanted it to (read as: it does not fit in/versus every deck you play).

Morphing Jar #2 & Needle Ceiling: The spam punishment cards are back. Jar 2 sends them back to the deck, Needle Ceiling destroys them all.

Raigeki Break & Lightning Vortex: These two are the classic “Discard one to blow stuff up” cards. Since Dragon Ruler don’t care about their hand, these cards have become amazing.

Return from the Different Dimension: Similarly as with D.D.R., this card was a regular tech in the past format, but without Heavy Storm, its true colors are shining as an OTK card (in any deck that banishes a lot, not just Dragon Rulers).

Safe Zone: This card saw an increased use in play, due to Master Key Beetle (the Key Beetle Lockdown).

Scapegoat: Doo-de-maa-maa-maa… (called it).

Skill Drain: The original “drain” card of the Drain Trio; this card saw a return in Dragon Rulers, because they’re massive powerhouses and their “return to hand” effect becomes negated. Yeah, "you can't play yugioh" are still popular.

"You like to spam monsters?
Yeeeessss... I mean, please go ahead."

Afterword

So, that concludes my analysis of YCS Toronto. Next up, I'll take a look at the upcoming OCG products that were revealed in the past week.

Until then, V out.