The Starstrike Blast Sneak Peek is rapidly approaching, so it’s only right that the first card we preview is the first card you’ll see when you go to your Sneak Peek. While supplies last, every Duelist who signs up for the Sneak Peek will receive a copy of the new Archfiend Empress, a Level 8 DARK Fiend-Type monster with 2900 ATK. She has no special requirements, you just have to Tribute 2 monsters to Summon her, and that makes her useful no matter what cards you decide to put in your Deck at the Sneak Peek. But once you’re done with the Sneak Peek, Archfiend Empress is still a really cool card that you can use with a lot of your older cards, many of which you have a chance of pulling from the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Legendary Collection. Archfiend Empress has two special abilities to go along with her colossal ATK…

First, while she’s in play she can protect one of your other DARK Fiend-Type monsters from being destroyed by removing a DARK Fiend-Type monster in your Graveyard from play. Fiend Decks often play Giant Germ because it can deal damage and Summon more copies of itself to Tribute for stronger monsters. If you Tribute your Giant Germs for Archfiend Empress, you can remove them from play to protect other important Fiends like Dark Ruler Ha Des. In fact, Dark Ruler Ha Des and Archfiend Empress make a great team! Ha Des lets Archfiend Empress destroy monsters like Colossal Fighter in battle and keep them in the Graveyard, and Archfiend Empress ensures that Ha Des can’t be defeated by those monsters.

Many of the best Fiend-Type monsters are Level 8. Dark Necrofear, Archfiend Empress, and Invader of Darkness are all Level 8 monsters. That means that if you’re paying a Fiend Deck  you can make good use of Trade-In, a Spell that lets you discard a Level 8 monster to draw 2 cards.  Archfiend Empress’ second special ability lets you Special Summon a Level 6 or higher DARK Fiend-Type monster from your Graveyard when she’s destroyed and sent from the field to the Graveyard.  If a monster like Invader of Darkness or Belial – Marquis of Darkness winds up in the Graveyard thanks to Trade-In or Armageddon Knight, you can use Archfiend Empress’ effect to bring it back when she’s destroyed. Belial and Archfiend Empress make another great combo, because Belial forces your opponent to target it with all their attacks, Spells, and Trap Cards, and Archfiend Empress can use her first effect to keep Belial from being destroyed by any of them.

If you have Archfiend Empress in your Graveyard and another monster you want to revive with her ability, try using Archfiend’s Roar. Archfiend’s Roar is a Trap Card from Dark Crisis that lets you pay 500 Life Points to Special Summon an “Archfiend” monster from your Graveyard. The monster you Summon is destroyed during your End Phase, so you can Summon Archfiend Empress, attack with it or defend against your opponent’s attacks, and then during the End Phase your Empress will be destroyed and you can replace it with a more permanent giant Fiend from your Graveyard! Invader of Darkness is a great choice to bring back because it prevents your opponent from using Quick-Play Spell Cards like Book of Moon, Mystical Space Typhoon, Enemy Controller, Gemini Spark, and Scrapstorm.

Huge monsters that let you Special Summon more huge monsters when they’re destroyed always tend to work their way into competitive Decks. Pick up your Archfiend Empress at the Starstrike Blast Sneak Peek and try building a cool Deck with it!