Duelists were only just starting to settle into the Advanced Format with Link Monsters that began with Starter Deck – Link Strike – and Code of the Duelist, and then BAM! We had a brand new Forbidden & Limited List to completely shake things up. Duelists had to adapt to the new changes in just a few days, so it has been very interesting to see what everyone’s using. Here are some of the standout choices.

Set Rotation

It’s basically a Terraforming, but with more potential to hinder your opponent or help yourself. You’ll put a useful Field Spell on your own side, such as Dragonic Diagram, Magical Meltdown, or Kozmotown. On your opponent’s field, you’ll give them something they can’t legally activate like Gateway to Chaos or Oracle of Zefra (since they must have a card to search for). You can also give them something like Kozmotown, which gives you a beneficial effect when it’s destroyed. You can even just play multiple Field Spells that help you, and give your opponent a useless one. We saw this in our Round 3 Feature Match, when Perry Divan gave his opponent a Kyoutou Waterfront.

Set Rotation also has an edge on Terraforming since it’s a Quick-Play Spell. Thus, you can activate it in response to effects. When a card like Trickstar Light Stage or Union Hangar is activated, you can flip Set Rotation to put a new Field Spell in place of them. Since Field Spells need to remain face-up on the field to resolve their effects, this will make the activated effect fail to resolve.

We’re already seeing the effects of Set Rotation, with a small number of Duelists even playing cards like Stellarknight Zefraxciton or Lord Gaia the Fierce Knight so they have something to search for if given a Field Spell.

Unending Nightmare

We’re seeing this in a few Main Decks, but mostly in Side Decks, as an answer to Pendulum Decks. With an Unending Nightmare on the field you can prevent a Pendulum Duelist from doing anything, at the cost of some Life Points. This can be a bit risky against the Pendulum Magicians, which have a variety of effects that activate when they’re destroyed, but as long as you’re not destroying a Purple Poison Magician it shouldn’t be too dangerous.

Wavering Eyes

One of the big surprises of the new Forbidden & Limited List, Wavering Eyes is incredibly powerful both with and against Pendulum Decks. You’ll want to destroy at least two cards with it, which is easy enough. Against an opposing Pendulum Deck, it’s very likely that you can destroy three or four cards. This is enough to turn the tide of the game on its own! Wavering Eyes is so strong, all but one of our Day 2 Pendulum Magician Duelists is running 2-3 in the Main Deck. Every single one of the Magician players has a full playset of Wavering Eyes between the Main and Side Decks.

Zaphion, the Timelord

Zaphion is only being played in Side Decks, but it’s in about half of our Day 2 Duelists’ Side Decks. It’s a great way to battle against Decks that play large back rows, such as Pendulum Magicians (which won’t trigger destruction effects), and Decks playing Card of Demise. With its built in protection, it’s pretty difficult to stop Zaphion once it hits the field.

Skill Drain

Out of our eleven Day 2 True Draco Duelists, eight are using Skill Drain (one with it Side Decked). Since the Deck plays so few monsters, and is largely capable of winning without monster effects, it’s an obvious choice. Plus, if you have a Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King that’s currently unaffected by Trap Cards, flipping Skill Drain won’t turn that effect off.

Cosmic Cyclone

This card has come to be the most popular form of Spell/Trap removal, even ahead of Twin Twisters. It’s primarily because Cosmic Cyclone banishes its target, making it a much safer option against the True Draco cards. It’s also great against plenty of other cards with effects that work in the Graveyard, such as Trickstar Reincarnation and Invocation, and against the many Pendulum Magicians that activate when they’re destroyed.