Tech Update: Good Ol’ Cards
Now that Hidden Arsenal 4: Trishula’s Triumph and Extreme Victory are legal for tournament play, Duelists everywhere are pulling out all the stops to find ways to beat the new Decks that have risen to the top. Check out some of the popular tech cards that Duelists have dug up from older sets in order to adapt to changes brought by these 2 new sets!
- Neo-Spacian Grand Mole
Neo-Spacian Grand Mole is a popular choice this weekend because it’s one of the most efficient ways to eliminate a Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En that an opponent Summons on his first turn. Six Samurai Duelists can use Musakani Magatama to negate monsters effects that would destroy Shi En, and they can use Shi En’s effect to negate Spells and Traps; but few cards in most Six Samurai Decks will stop Grand Mole from sending Shi En back to the Extra Deck, making it the perfect card to Summon against a first-turn Shi En.
But even if your opponent doesn’t Summon Shi En, Grand Mole still has its uses. When Duelists are stuck with nothing but monsters in their hand and can only Summon 1 monster each turn, using Grand Mole to send back whichever monster your opponent Summons will often lock an opponent with a field that can’t accumulate monsters. Grand Mole can also be used to disarm dangerous Flip Effect Monsters like Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter and Morphing Jar, by returning them to an opponent’s hand without flipping them face-up.
2. D.D. Crow
Now that Plant Synchro Decks are using Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier and Reborn Tengu, they’ve risen through the ranks and become one of the most competitive Decks of the weekend. Debris Dragon, Dandylion, and Fluff Tokens make it a breeze to Synchro Summon Trishula, and Duelists were forced to find ways to stop it. D.D. Crow emerged as one of the best solutions. It stops Debris Dragon in its tracks by removing from play whichever monster the Dragon targets with its effect, and even takes care of a game-changing Spore, Plaguespreader Zombie, or Glow-Up Bulb. Being able to stop Pot of Avarice while removing a card from your opponent’s Graveyard is just an added bonus that comes with using D.D. Crow against Plant Synchro Decks.
But the uses for D.D. Crow don’t end there – it’s useful against nearly all of the best Decks. It can interrupt a deadly Double-Edged Sword Technique when you’re facing Six Samurais, it can prevent an opponent from bringing Bestiari back to the field with Darius when you’re fighting against Gladiator Beasts, and it will stop an opponent’s Hero Blast when you’re competing against a Gemini Deck. It’s also able to remove Dragunity Aklys and Dragunity Phalanx from your opponent’s Graveyard just when he needs it most, or remove Treeborn Frog from an opponent’s Graveyard to ruin your opponent’s turn.
D.D. Crow is the little bird that’s constantly swooping onto the competitive scene, and due to its versatility and strength against so many of the top Decks, we may see it make a big impact here this weekend.
3. Fiendish Chain
Fiendish Chain has always been a versatile card on the brink of competitive play, and today it’s getting the recognition it deserves. Since it’s able to stop Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier and Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier by negating their effects and preventing them from attacking, it has a strong advantage over Effect Veiler that has caused many Duelists here this weekend to take notice. Fiendish Chain has its uses against every Deck, since it can take down any of the key monsters that an opponent’s Deck relies on.
4. Compulsory Evacuation Device
Compulsory Evacuation Device was another popular Trap Card this weekend. Since it’s a Chainable Trap Card that can target any monster, it’s filling some of the space that was created when Book of Moon became Limited. Like Book of Moon, Compulsory Evacuation Device can preemptively disrupt Synchro Summons and repel attacks. When used against Synchro Monsters, it even has the added advantage of getting rid of the targeted monster for good.
5. Breaker the Magical Warrior
Breaker the Magical Warrior has also seen a lot of play this weekend. Breaker is able to take down increasingly popular Dimensional Prisons and force out or destroy an opponent’s Solemn Warning. It can also take down Rai-Oh while it still has 1900 ATK with its Spell Counter, and can destroy Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo in battle without costing you a monster. Popular Spell and Trap Cards that stick around after activation, like Necrovalley, Rivalry of Warlords, and Gozen Match, are especially vulnerable to Breaker. Breaker can destroy them with its power and then stay on the field to threaten an opponent with its remaining 1600 ATK.
Even the oldest cards can rise and fall in popularity. Stay with the coverage to see which tech choices make it to the top this weekend!
