Monster effects that can be used from the hand have played some pretty big roles in recent years. Cards like Effect Veiler and Maxx “C” have defined the modern era in a lot of ways, with some being so powerful that they had to be added to the Forbidden & Limited List. These cards have such a big impact because they operate in a unique way that’s nigh un-counterable and requires no set-up at all. Interacting with your opponent when you are forced to go second is one of the many reasons why these monsters are so good, and the fact that they are still useful after you’ve established your field makes them great when you get to go first as well. These monsters being concealed in your hand means your opponent can’t destroy them let alone predict you drew them, and this hidden information forces your opponent to always fear the possibility of you having an answer.

We have seen a lot of this type of monster fall in and out of popularity depending on the environment. Everything from Hanewata to Droll & Lock Bird has seen play as ways to answer particular popular strategies, with some others like D.D. Crow and Retaliating “C” being so well positioned against the whole field that they make their way into the Main Deck rather than just being a Side Deck tool. With the release of Maximum Crisis comes a new monster to join these ranks; one so powerful that it’ll definitely makes some waves: Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring.What makes Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring so good has to do with what it answers, which is basically everything. As I mentioned before, how good these monsters are is very dependent on the environment, which is why we see cards like D.D. Crow and Retaliating “C” go from taking up some Side Deck slots to being absolute Main Deck all-stars. Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring counters actions that just about every strategy makes as part of their game plan, negating any card or effect that includes any of these three things:

“Add a card from the Deck to the hand.”

Adding cards from the Deck to the hand is something just about every successful Deck does because it leads to consistency. If you always have access to your key power cards, you are more likely to get your game plan going in a Duel rather than just fall flat. Certain search effects are also used for utility rather than consistency, allowing you to search your Deck like a toolbox for whatever is best for this situation. We have seen monsters such as Performapal Skullcrobat Joker and Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands as well as spells like Spellbook of Secrets and Fire Formation – Tenki play big roles in these ways in the past and even now. Being able to stop one of these search effects is an easy way to turn a game completely around, potentially disrupting your opponent’s perfect opening and leaving it in shambles because they’re missing a key piece.

“Special Summon from the Deck.”

Special Summoning from the Deck has always been a powerful effect because it allows you to access new resources and have them impact the game immediately. Whether it is a key component of your strategy or just a tool you want for utility, these effects are similar to search effects but put whatever you want right onto the field. This means that a lot of cards with this effect have immediate and powerful results. We have seen monsters like Tour Guide from the Underworld and Summoner Monk, as well as spells such as A Hero Lives and Emergency Teleport, and even traps like Geargiagear and Void Feast lead to crazy powerful openings, all from a single card. The scariest part about these threats is that they are so easy to pull off, and if you go second you could be at a big disadvantage. These cards are big reasons why we see stuff like Effect Veiler and Maxx “C” see so much play, so the fact that Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring answers all of them and more is huge.

“Send a card from the Deck to the Graveyard.”

While stopping a Foolish Burial could be enough, the big Graveyard enabler that we have all seen a lot of recently is That Grass Looks Greener. 60-Cards strategies are more popular than ever because of the power of That Grass Looks Greener, sending a massive amount of cards from your Deck into the Graveyard and gaining you so many free resources it’s like you’ve drawn a new hand. Previously there wasn’t a good answer to That Grass Looks Greener, especially if your opponent had it on their first turn. Entire Duels were defined by That Grass Looks Greener, and 60-Card Decks even played costly cards like Left Arm Offering to try to get to it as quickly as possible. Well, not only does Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring make Left Arm Offering too big a risk to play, it is one of the few cards that can directly answer That Grass Looks Greener. Now building your entire strategy around That Grass Looks Greener is an even bigger risk than running a 60-card Deck already is, as your whole game plan could fall flat to a single card.

If all of that wasn’t enough, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring is also a Tuner! Anytime you feel like you aren’t going to find an opportunity to use the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, you can just Summon it to the field and start Synchro Summoning. In strategies that abuse Zombie synergies, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring is especially great because you can get repeated use out of it. Discarding Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate one of your opponent’s effects, then reviving it with Mezuki to Synchro Summon is a very powerful sequence. Even if you aren’t looking to Synchro Summon, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring being a Level 3 means it’s also great for Xyz Summoning.

Make sure to check out your local Maximum Crisis Sneak Peek April 29^th and 30^th!