The tournament is over, and the best tech cards managed to rise to the top tables! Check out which tech choices helped this weekend’s Duelists make it to the Top 32!

1.) Maxx “C”

After Billy Brake’s YCS victory in Toronto with 2 copies of Maxx “C” in his Main Deck, it’s no surprise that Duelists here in Columbus tried to emulate his success by imitating his tech choice. Maxx “C” forces opponents to second-guess their plays and restrain themselves from Special Summoning too many monsters.

Maxx “C” replaces itself with a new card at the first monster an opponent Special Summons. Anything more is a bonus! That’s what makes it the perfect counter to the effects of monsters like The Agent of Creation – Venus and Dandylion. Using Maxx “C” lets you draw your first card when your opponent Special Summons his Fluff Tokens or his first Mystical Shine Ball, and then if your opponent wants to do anything useful with them, he’ll need to Special Summon more monsters and let you draw more cards.

Now that Billy Brake has taken his second YCS victory by Main Decking a full 3 copies of Maxx “C”, we’re likely to see Maxx “C” explode in popularity even more!

2.) Debunk

Debunk isn’t only good for beating Grapha’s army. Duelists throughout the tournament used it to take down Tengu Synchro Decks and other Decks, too. Debunk is the perfect counter to anything that may normally catch a Duelist off guard, including Effect Veiler, D.D. Crow, Maxx “C”, and Gorz the Emissary of Darkness.

Debunk can also work against one of the most popular monsters in the tournament: Reborn Tengu. If Reborn Tengu is sent to the Graveyard or the hand before its effect activates, Debunk can negate the Tengu’s effect and banish the Tengu. Since Debunk is a Counter Trap Card, that even means you can use it against Reborn Tengu in the Damage Step, when you destroy a Tengu in battle. Depriving an opponent of his second Tengu will usually ruin his strategy and set you on the path to victory.

3.) Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer

Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer is another card that saw a lot of play this weekend. Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning has become a tough card to contend with, but Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer deftly handles it. Not only does Kycoo prevent opponents from banishing DARK and LIGHT monsters in their Graveyard to Summon Chaos monsters, it also has the power to banish those DARK and LIGHT monsters itself, by damaging an opponent. Plus, Kycoo has the ability to banish other key cards that are used in Tengu Synchro Decks, including Spore, Glow-Up Bulb, and Dandylion. Since Kycoo has 100 more ATK than Reborn Tengu, it’s easy for Kycoo to damage an opposing Tengu Synchro Duelist and activate its effect.

4.) Leeching the Light

Leeching the Light was a popular Side Deck card to use against LIGHT Duelists this weekend. Particularly against Agent Decks, it can be a Duel-winning card. Agent Decks Summon big monsters like Master Hyperion and Archlord Kristya, which are vulnerable to Leeching the Light. And Decks that Summon lots of monsters to the field in a single turn, including Agent Decks and Tengu Synchro Decks, can turn Leeching the Light into an instant victory whenever an opponent has a LIGHT monster on the field, as seen in the Top 32 Feature Match.

5.) Doomcaliber Knight

Doomcaliber Knight seems to have seen a rise in play this weekend as well. Since Doomcaliber Knight has the power to negate important effects of monsters like Reborn Tengu and Effect Veiler, Duelists used it to protect whatever plays they were planning, and lock down big opposing efforts that involved the effects of monsters. Doomcaliber Knight is also a DARK monster, so it gives Duelists another monster to banish when looking to Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning.

There are just a few of the big tech choices that helped Duelists make it to the top. When the Top 32 Decklists are posted, you’ll be able to see all of the cards that got there!