It’s Monday, April 21, 2008, and with Light of Destruction less than two weeks out, it’s time to look at some new cards here on Metagame!

Light of Destruction Sneak Previews in Two Weeks  
I’m not sure what to say. I liked Phantom Darkness. It had a nice spread of playable stuff at every rarity, and whenever I bought a few packs, I got something useful. But at the same time, three months ago when we were at this point waiting for the Phantom Darkness Sneak Preview, I knew what was coming: Dark Armed Dragon would be amazing, people would play it, and that was that.

But with Light of Destruction things are different. Gladiator Beasts and the new Lightsworn monsters seem poised to duke it out with Dark Armed Return for dominance, but everything else is less predictable. Destiny Heroes, Batterymen, and other established groups get huge boosts, and it’s impossible to tell how much of an impact they’ll have. New tech is inevitable, and we still have no idea what exclusive new cards and Japanese promos we’ll see in the set’s global release. Luckily, we’re less than two weeks from finding out.

Sneak Previews are in twelve days, and with more than 250 events already listed across the globe, odds are good that there’s a Light of Destruction Sneak Preview near you. If you’re like me and can’t wait to get your hands on the new cards, then this is what you’ve been waiting for!

Show up, throw down, and you’ll get to compete in one of two formats: Sealed Deck tournaments, in which you build your deck from the new Light of Destruction cards, or Sealed Deck casual play. Signing up for either event gets you a guaranteed five boosters, a copy of the new world-debut promo Guardian of Order, and a chance to win a Light of Destruction T-shirt. Play in the casual format to get a sixth booster, or take your chances in Swiss-style tournaments to win a whole lot more!

All bets are off as we head into yet another Shonen Jump weekend, and if you have the chance to attend, your first step should be checking out the official event listing. Then, go to the website for Next Level Games, the Premier Tournament Organizer for this event, for more details.

Once Light of Destruction becomes legal for premier events, everything will change, but for now, there’s one more Shonen Jump Championship left. Will Dark Armed Return triumph again, or will another creative rogue deck take the top showing? We’ll find out three weeks from today, at Shonen Jump Championship Nashville.

Light of Destruction Previews This Week on Metagame
The Sneak Previews are less than two weeks away, so it’s time for us here at Metagame to started looking at the new cards! This time, we’re rolling out the big guns early, as I kick things off today with a look at two awesome new monsters: Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress and the mighty Judgment Dragon. Both of these cards are incredibly powerful on their own (especially Judgment Dragon), but together they’re greater than the sum of their parts. I’m going to explain what makes them so good, so click on over and check out the new hotness.

Tomorrow, Ryan Murphy will discuss another top prospect from Light of Destruction: a monster that’s going to revolutionize Gladiator Beasts and the global metagame. Paul Levitin’s Gladiator Beast victory at Shonen Jump Championship Minneapolis shocked the dueling world, but get ready to see repeat performances, because Gladiator Beast Gyzarus is one of the best cards ever printed. A contact fusion with an unbelievable effect, it’s going to bring the Gladiators to the forefront of competitive dueling.

Then, Jerome McHale brings you the second of four Lightsworn articles. I showed you the big payoff in my Monday article, but Jerome’s going to illustrate how the Lightsworn get there. Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter and Solar Exchange are both integral to the strategy, making the deck a fast-paced blitz while performing other unique roles at the same time. A draw card that’s better than Destiny Draw, and an Old Vindictive Magician that destroys any card? Jerome’s going to demonstrate the full ramifications of these cards on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, Curtis Schultz takes a break from his card-specific rulings to clear up one of the most basic confusions in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG game system: what exactly is a successful summon? With cards like Solemn Judgment and Jinzo seeing more and more play these days that’s an important question to answer, so if you’re an up-and-coming tournament player this week’s Duelist Academy is a must read.

Thursday, Matt Peddle checks in to show you the newest powerhouse of the Destiny Hero ranks—Destiny End Dragoon. Ever seen a dedicated Destiny Hero deck? Probably not, because before Light of Destruction, they just didn’t have a win condition. They had plenty of support cards and a great drawing engine, but the Destiny Heroes wound up being splashed into other strategies. Destiny End Dragoon sets things right, giving the Destiny Heroes an amazing fusion monster that can compete against the best decks in this format. The key? An overlooked bit of fusion support from Phantom Darkness.

I’m back on Friday, with a doubleheader preview examining two of the Lightsworn’s best special summon cards. The Lightsworn have their own versions of Cyber Dragon and Zombie Master, and both can create serious havoc for your opponents. Like so many Lightsworn pairings, they’re even better when their powers combine, and I’m going to discuss how these two give teeth to the central strategy of Lightsworn decks. These are two of the most important monsters the Lightsworn have.

Bryan Camareno’s getting all charged up this Saturday. He’ll be taking a look at not one, not two, but three new cards for the Batterymen theme! The Batterymen get a tremendous power boost thanks to Light of Destruction, and their synergy with the Sneak Preview promo this time around may make them a competitive pick. Bryan’s going to look at all three of their new monsters, as well as some combos with old-school cards, to demonstrate why they might be on the verge of a comeback.

Finally, Jerome McHale closes out our look at the Lightsworn (and our first week of previews) with two more cards: Glorious Illusion and Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior. It’s more special summoning and a crazy payoff in the form of free draws this Sunday, tying together the aggressive Lightsworn theme with more attackers and more free cards.

That’s it for this week! The Light of Destruction Sneak Preview is right around the corner, and we are officially counting down the days. With two Shonen Jump Championships, the U.K. Nationals, and Light of Destruction, May is going to be a huge month for duelists worldwide.