The New Challengers marks a new chapter for some of the most popular Decks in the game: for the bright and colorful Yang Zings, it marks a turn to the shadows. Overpowered by Burning Abyss, Satellarknights, and Shaddolls in the Duelist Alliance era, Baxia’s forces turn to dark allies in a bid to restore balance…

Meet Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing! While Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing was a Level 1 LIGHT Tuner, Jiaotu’s a Level 2 DARK Tuner that serves as Chiwen’s shadowy counterpart. Both monsters have the signature Yang Zing ability to replace themselves on the field with another Yang Zing from your Deck if they’re destroyed, but that’s where the similarities end.

While Chiwen had 0 ATK and 0 DEF, Jiaotu packs a strong 2000 Defense Points. And while Chiwen’s ability lets you bring it back from the Graveyard when one of your Yang Zings is destroyed on the field, Jiaotu’s quicker to assemble your forces. If you control no monsters but Jiaotu, you can send 2 “Yang Zing” cards from your hand to the Graveyard – monsters, Spells, or Traps – to Special Summon two Yang Zings from your Deck: one with 0 ATK and one with 0 DEF.

Whatever you Special Summon with Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing gets banished in the End Phase, but since Jiaotu’s a Tuner those monsters probably won’t last that long. Jiaotu’s ability requires three cards total from your hand, but it’s an incredible effect that can be played dozens, maybe hundreds of different ways to make stunning moves. For instance…

Activating Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing’s ability to Special Summon Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing and Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing from your Deck will let you unleash any Level 8 Synchro Monster. Suanni will boost that Synchro by 500 ATK and 500 DEF, and Bixi will make it immune to Trap effects. You can make a 3000 ATK Trap-immune Stardust Spark Dragon to protect your cards; a 3500 ATK Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons (remember, Jiaotu is DARK); or bathe the Duel in the radiance of a souped-up Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing!

Baxia will hit the field with 2800 ATK, 3100 DEF, and immunity to Traps. And since you used three different Attributes of Wyrm-Type monsters to Synchro Summon it, Baxia will shuffle away up to three cards from the field; it demolishes your opponent’s set-ups and compensates for all the cards you used for Jiaotu’s effect. That’s nuts: you can turn Jiaotu plus any two “Yang Zing” cards – even specialized Spells and Traps you drew at the wrong time – into three removals and a free 2800 ATK monster that ignores Traps and can be turned back into a smaller Yang Zing to avoid Shaddoll Fusion.

And if that’s not enough? Two more DARK Yang Zings join the fray!

While Pulao, Bixi, Bi’an, and Suanni spanned Levels 1 through 4 in Duelist Alliance, The New Challengers introduces a Level 5 called Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing! Taotie’s another DARK monster; it brings another Attribute to the mix, and it’s got higher ATK than any of its compatriots. Taotie clocks in at a whopping 2200 ATK, big enough to trade with El Shaddoll Winda in battle. And since Taotie has the Yang Zing replacing effect you can slam it into Winda to destroy both cards, then Summon another Yang Zing for free.

Use Taotie as a Synchro Material, and whatever you Synchro Summon can’t change possession. That means your opponent can’t take it with cards that change control, like Puppet Plant, Electric Virus, or Mind Control. But “possession” is a very specific term – it also makes your Synchro Monster immune to Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and similar cards.

Taotie’s also the best way to Summon the new Yang Zing boss monster, Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing! Use Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing to pitch two cards and Special Summon Taotie and Bixi. Tune Jiaotu and Taotie together to Synchro Summon Yazi! It’s got 2600 ATK, and your opponent can’t target it with card effects. Like the rest of the Yang Zings, Yazi will replace itself when it’s destroyed and sent to your Graveyard, too. But the real gem is its unique destruction ability.

Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing works a lot like Scrap Dragon: you can target 1 of your “Yang Zing” monsters and any card your opponent controls to destroy both. That triggers the destruction ability of your Yang Zing, so you lose nothing in the trade. Jiaotu Special Summons two monsters from your Deck, but since Jiaotu (2) and Taotie (5) make up all 7 Levels of your Synchro Summon, you don’t need to Tune that third monster. Pop it with Yazi’s effect instead and you can destroy any card your opponent was relying on, while Summoning another Yang Zing from your Deck for free. Grab another Taotie and you’ll field a bone-crushing 4800 ATK.

While Duelist Alliance let the Yang Zings shine bright, their shadowy new allies bring a new balance, and a new level of power! Find them, and a useful new Trap Card that lets your Yang Zing monsters dominate the Battle Phase, at The New Challengers Sneak Preview this weekend! The New Challengers launches on November 7^th.