D. D. Trap Hole is another card in the long-running series of “Different Dimension” series of cards. Over the past year, this mechanic has introduced us to wonderful cards such as D. D. Warrior Lady, D. D. Assailant, and D. D. Crazy Beast. Where does D. D. Trap Hole fall in this lineup? You be the judge! It’s the second D.D. trap card (the first being D. D. Dynamite), and its effect allows you to remove one of your opponent’s set monsters in defense position from play. Also, you’ll need to remove one monster from your side of the field when you activate D. D. Trap Hole’s effect.

You can immediately see the good side to this card. Though it has a semi-situational trigger, the opponent will be forced to go on the defensive and actually set the monster while you have the trap ready. While it’s an inherent two-for-one trade, D. D. Trap Hole allows you to negate game-changing cards like Morphing Jar, Magician of Faith, and Guardian Sphinx. Believe me—to a duelist with complete control, such threats are worth getting rid of with this effect!

Face-down monster removal is currently restricted to an elite group of cards that appear in the main decks of almost every single top-tier archetype. The two Nobleman of Crossout are a given, then Exiled Force, Mystic Swordsman LV2, and Ceasefire (in some senses) round out the best of the lot. Certainly, the merit of D. D. Trap Hole is clear, in that it’s one of the few cards in the game that removes face-down monsters.

There are many ways of reducing the inherent cost of removing your own monster from play. Two other cards in the D.D. family, D.D. Survivor and D. D. Scout Plane, make great combos with this card. In these cases, your opponent will lose a monster, you’ll lose a trap, and all will be fine and dandy! You’re still forcing a one-for-one trade, but D. D. Trap Hole almost becomes a spare Nobleman of Crossout in this case.

Keep in mind that monster flip effects do not activate when you trigger this card. It doesn’t function like Acid Trap Hole, so you won’t have to worry about any nasty flip effects rearing their heads. But one of the things that you need to keep in mind is that you need a monster on your side of the field to resolve the effect. This is just another thing to think about when you’re running this card.

All in all, the card has a high upside and only a few drawbacks. Face-down monster removal has clearly been limited from the start, intending the fear of the set monster to remain intact throughout the duration of the game. Those who want to forge ahead with face-down monster removal without fearing flip effects will have to resort to alternatives such as this one, which is a risk that some may be willing to take and others may avoid altogether. However, the scrappy duelist will be rewarded by packing a few copies of this in the board.

If you're particularly attached to your field presence, you can use D. D. M. – Different Dimension Master to summon back the monster that D. D. Trap Hole removed from your side of the field. While discarding a spell is a hefty cost, the odds are good that you’ll be attacking directly with the monster you brought back. This can be especially potent in Cybernetic Revolution Sealed pack play.