A new Forbidden & Limited Cards List will take effect on September 1. In the aftermath of this Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series, we checked in with a few Duelists running some of the most popular Decks from the last few months, to take a look at how they’ve been playing the Deck, and what they might change starting next month.

Infernities hit the ground running three months ago when they received their first big group of cards in The Shining Darkness. Infernitites won at the Canadian World Championship Qualifier and YCS Chicago, but their winning streak was cut short by Sean Montague’s X-Saber win at the U.S. World Championship Qualifier. Today, after not even making it to the final rounds at the U.S. WCQ, they were back in Top 16 action.

The Infernity Deck, as usually played, is all about speed. Fill the Graveyard with copies of Infernity Archfiend, Infernity Necromancer, and some Tuners, then explode with Infernity Launcher and Infernity Mirage, Special Summoning fistfuls of monsters over and over to flood the field with Synchro Monsters. Infernity Barrier protects these combos, by stopping cards like D.D. Crow, Dust Tornado, and Solemn Judgment from stopping the rampage.

Taking a new spin on things, Juan Carlos Flores has brought a high-defense version of Infernities all the way to the Top 16!

Monsters: 14

3 Infernity Archfiend

3 Infernity Necromancer

3 Infernity Beetle

2 Infernity Mirage

1 Infernity Avenger

2 Dark Grepher

*-*-*

Spells: 9

3 Infernity Launcher

1 One for One

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Foolish Burial

1 Giant Trunade

1 Reinforcement of the Army

1 Heavy Storm

*-*-*

Traps: 17

3 Threatening Roar

3 Infernity Barrier

2 Bottomless Trap Hole

2 Dust Tornado

3 Infernity Inferno

1 Solemn Judgment

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Mirror Force

1 Trap Dustshoot

*-*-*

Side Deck: 15

2 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter

2 Book of Moon

2 Corridor of Agony

2 Crevice into the Different Dimension

2 Light-Imprisoning Mirror

2 Hero’s Rule 2

2 Imperial Iron Wall

1 Cyber Dragon

*-*-*

Extra Deck: 15

1 Armory Arm

1 Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth

1 Hundred-Eyes Dragon

2 Mist Wurm

1 Red Dragon Archfiend

1 Colossal Fighter

1 Stygian Sergeants

1 Goyo Guardian

1 Black Rose Dragon

1 Infernity Doom Dragon

1 Magical Android

1 Ally of Justice Catastor

1 Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

1 Stardust Dragon

*-*-*

Flores’ monsters and Spells are pretty similar to those that have seen play since YCS Chantilly. But as soon as you hit the Trap Card list all bets are off. Three copies of Threatening Roar. One of the hot-seat topics on the minds of Duelists this weekend was how to beat Cold Wave, Heavy Storm, Giant Trunade, and the threats that come right after these Spell Cards are played. One answer is to use monsters to counter this, like Battle Fader and Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, or monsters that Special Summon a new monster when destroyed. Other Duelists play Magic Drain or Dark Bribe, to negate these Spells entirely.

But Flores’ answer is Threatening Roar. It doesn’t stop the removal and control Spells, but instead just eliminates the attacks that are the true threat. With many Duelists trying to out-speed their opponents, Threatening Roar leaves them played out, with most of their cards literally on the table.

Starting September 1

And as for the future? We asked Flores what he thought might happen with the Advanced Format List come September 1^st, and how he would adapt his Deck.

“If Archfiend went to 2, I’d run 3 copies of Mirage, and I’d add Ryko.” Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter has been a popular Side Deck pick for Infernity Duelists, allowing them to destroy Royal Oppression and Consecrated Light, which many Duelists Side Deck in against Infernities for Duel 2. But in the future, Carlos sees a deeper use for them as a Main Deck addition. “You can send your targets for Mirage to the Graveyard that way, keeping the Deck fast. If Launcher would’ve gone to 2, you’ve still got Mirage, it’s the same thing. If Barrier goes to 1 you’ve still got Solemn, and Trap Stun, which helps you clear the back rows for the OTK.”

The future of the Infernity Deck may be a bit murky at the moment, but the best Infernity Duelists are definitely ready to adapt – Flores didn’t have to think very long to discuss the possibilities he knows he might be up against.