We’re taking a look at some of the interesting card choices here at YCS Anaheim! This is the first YCS where Duelists are able to use cards from the brand new set, Doom of Dimensions. It introduces several amazing cards for some of the best Decks in the game, including K9-04 Noroi, Marshmao☆Yummy, and Dracotail Phryxul. Duelists have been testing different tech options for the last several weeks to prepare for the event, each hoping that their choices will lead them to victory. Here are some of the cards that are seeing play!

Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion

This format, there are several important cards that include effects that move cards out of the Graveyard. As a result, we’ve seen many players choose to add Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion to their Deck, looking to help shut down key plays in those strategies! In the Dracotail Deck, Dracotail Flame, Dracotail Horn, and Dracotail Sting are all key Trap Cards that the Dracotail strategy uses, Setting them out of the Deck when Dracotail monsters are sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Materials; they all have an effect in common where you can return a Dracotail card from your Graveyard or Banishment to the bottom of your Deck, then draw a card. Ghost Belle can be used to negate the effects of all of these Trap Cards, so not only are you stopping the opponent from returning a card to their Deck, but you get to negate the entire card effect! The Dracotail strategy relies on the Trap Cards to recycle resources and disrupt the opponent, so being able to negate them with Ghost Belle allows you to play out your strategy uninterrupted. 

Another application of Ghost Belle is in the Yummy matchup! The Yummy Synchro Monsters also have an effect in common, where when your opponent activates a card or effect, you can return it to the Extra Deck to Special Summon up to 2 “Yummy” monsters from your Graveyard. Cupsy☆Yummy Way, Cooky☆Yummy Way, and Lollipo☆Yummy Way all look to bring back Yummy monsters from the Graveyard, triggering their effects; they’re then able to Synchro Summon again using the effect of Yummy☆Snatchy. With Ghost Belle, your opponent still returns their Yummy Synchro Monster to the Extra Deck as cost, but they won’t be able to bring out any Yummy monsters from the Graveyard. They’ll need to rely on other cards, such as Yummy☆Surprise, in order to be able to continue Synchro Summoning on your turn!

Dimensional Fissure

Speaking of getting monsters into the Graveyard, Dimensional Fissure is a card that many players are adding to the Side Deck to prevent Yummy and Dracotail players from getting the ball rolling! The Yummy Synchro Monsters can only Special Summon back Yummy monsters from the Graveyard, which means that they can’t be brought back if they’re banished. In addition, Dracotail monsters are only able to Set a card to the backrow if they’re sent to the Graveyard as Fusion Material; if they’re banished instead, Dracotail players don’t get to dig key cards like Ketu Dracotail and Rahu Dracotail out of the Deck, and Dracotail Arthalion won’t have any monsters you can add back, either!

Of course, Dimensional Fissure is not a perfect card. This is a card that has been relegated to the Side Deck, as an option Duelists are putting into their Decks when going first; otherwise, you might only be able to activate it after your opponent has established their Field and Graveyard. And of course, as a Continuous Spell Card, Dimensional Fissure can easily be wiped away by cards like Lightning Storm, Harpie’s Feather Duster, or even Mystical Space Typhoon! This means that you can’t just rely on Dimensional Fissure to singlehandedly win the game against these strategies; rather, they’re best if used to supplement an already-powerful field. We’ve seen this card as a popular option for Decks like Mitsurugi, since the Mitsurugi cards can still activate their effects from the Banishment when Tributed! 

Psy-Framegear Delta

In the format, we’re seeing a ton of powerful Spell Cards. Some are used by specific themes, such as Mitsurugi Prayers and Rahu Dracotail, while others are generic cards that can be added to any Deck, such as Triple Tactics Talent and Called by the Grave. However, one thing that they all have in common is that they can all be stopped by Psy-Framegear Delta! Delta can be a powerful disruption, negating one of your opponent’s Spell Cards, then Special Summoning itself and Psy-Frame Driver. Combining Delta with other hand disruptions, such as Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Nibiru, the Primal Being, and Droll & Lock Bird can make it harder for your opponent to build a board, allowing you to play more freely on the following turn. 

For the most part, Delta is something that players are siding in when going second; importantly, you can use your other disruptions to disrupt your opponent, and then use Delta to cut off follow up from Triple Tactics Thrust or Triple Tactics Talent. The drawback is that you have to control no monsters in order to activate Delta’s effect, making it a less-than-ideal card to see later in the game. However, Decks like Dracotail can simply use Delta as a Fusion Material from the hand to make Dracotail Arthalion, and effectively replace it with another monster from your Graveyard with Arthalion’s effect. Yummy is another Deck that can use it well, as depending on the board situation, Delta can be used if your opponent activates a Spell Card as your Yummy Synchro Monsters are activating their effects and returning to the Extra DecK! 

These are just a few of the interesting tech cards that players have chosen to add to their Decks this weekend at YCS Anaheim. Be sure to follow all of the coverage this weekend to see what techs will help crown our eventual YCS Anaheim champion!