When Structure Deck: Onslaught of the Fire Kings released in February, Duelists everywhere were fired up by their “destroy me and I’ll destroy you back” playstyle. Now it’s time to fan the flames of the Fire King strategy again with a new Fire King that’ll help you get the most out of all your other Fire Kings. Fire King High Avatar Garunix is a great card – so great that you want to play three copies. But when you draw a copy of Garunix, you need a way to make use of it now that it can’t be Summoned by Onslaught of the Fire Kings. And that’s where Fire King Avatar Yaksha comes in!

Yaksha packs two effects. First, like the other low Level Fire Kings, it can be Special Summoned when a Fire King you control is destroyed. In addition, any time Yaksha is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you have the option of destroying any card on your field OR in your hand!

One important thing to remember is that none of the Fire Kings – nor Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys – care about where they are when they’re destroyed. They simply need to be destroyed by a card effect. With Yaksha added to their ranks, there’s no longer any worry about drawing Garunix and Phoenix! Just play out Yaksha, and either wait for the inevitable or destroy it yourself. Your opponent has no way of knowing what’s in your hand, so you’re the one in the position of power.

Since Yaksha can also destroy cards on your side of the field, it can be played aggressively alongside a Garunix or Sacred Phoenix. Your opponent will be going out of their way to avoid destroying your big monster, but normally they’d be comfortable destroying your others. If they make that mistake with Yaksha, you can have it Set off your other monster’s effect and blow your opponent away.

Finally, remember that Yaksha can destroy any of your cards. In a pinch, that could let you clear away a useless facedown card for Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, but there’s a much cooler trick than that. In the past, many Duelists combined Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys with Dark Coffin. That combo is still available to you, but Yaksha means there’s much less risk of a stranded Dark Coffin!

Adding Yaksha to your Fire King Deck gives even more benefits than its effect. As a Beast-Warrior, you now have another card to search out with Fire Formation – Tenki. It’s also got 200 DEF, making it yet another monster compatible with Rekindling or Flamvell Firedog! If you’re having trouble getting it to the field, Fire King Avatar Garunix (from Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy) can pull it straight from your Deck while defending your Life Points.

Fire Kings are about to be a real force to be reckoned with! Watch out for Fire King Avatar Yaksha in Judgment of the Light, and stay tuned this week for a few more cards found in JOTL that will raise the Fire Kings’ spirits!