There was a time when the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG was not the tamed beast of a game it is today, but a raging chaotic mass of overwhelmingly powerful cards. This was before the massive reprinting of cards took place, when owning a Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning meant something. The game was elite, prestigious, and could give you victory with a single lucky draw.

During this time, there was a single deck that proved completely dominant. The messengers of Chaos heralded the destruction of opponents, surprised by the ease with which they dominated the field. Yata-Garasu turned a lack of options into the end of the game, and Pot of Greed inspired fear from across the table. The game was unpredictable—a single misplay could cause a player’s demise. It was Yu-Gi-Oh! in its most concentrated form.

Understanding this format means understanding the game of Yu-Gi-Oh!, no matter what format you personally enjoy. The power of the individual cards was overwhelming, and no player was guaranteed victory, no matter how experienced he or she was. However, through meticulous play and smart deckbuilding, a player could ensure a strong win percentage, offering the most consistent records possible. Players learned to make every card count, to save their copies of Raigeki, and to make sure that every slot in the deck was perfectly chosen.

If you weren’t lucky enough to have started playing during this format, understand that it begins with Chaos. Becoming a better player, and coming closer to a full understanding of the game begins here, with what has been dubbed Cookie Cutter Chaos.

The Monsters

There have been some extremely powerful cards released recently that add to the complexity of the deck. By integrating these new cards with the old ones, we can ensure the most consistent and powerful build possible.

Banisher of the Radiance, which was released about a year ago, tears the entire format apart. Not only is it a Light monster, but it negates the effects of Witch of the Black Forest, Sangan, Sinister Serpent, and many more. Correctly timed, it can bring your opponent to a screeching halt.

Cyber Dragon has also given Chaos decks a boost, offering simple and fast field presence as well as three more Light monsters. Its 2100 ATK runs over almost anything you’ll see, shy of a Chaos monster or Jinzo.

Other than that, we’ll be running cards that Chaos has traditionally been known to utilize. The Chaos monsters and Yata-Garasu can end games quickly, especially when backed up by a quickly summoned Jinzo, while other cards like Witch of the Black Forest, Tribe-Infecting Virus, and Breaker the Magical Warrior clear the field and search your deck for answers to any situation. In the end, we have eighteen monsters, including five Dark monsters and eight Lights.

Monsters: 18

1 Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End

1 Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning

1 Jinzo

3 Cyber Dragon

1 Breaker the Magical Warrior

1 Tribe-Infecting Virus

1 Witch of the Black Forest

1 Sangan

1 Fiber Jar

1 Morphing Jar

1 Yata-Garasu

1 Sinister Serpent

1 Magician of Faith

3 Banisher of the Radiance

The Spells

Next, we’ll construct a spell lineup that includes the most powerful cards the game has ever seen. Frankly, this part of the deck is almost a no-brainer. Eleven of these cards have been Forbidden in the Advanced format, and for good reason. They offer too much to the player who uses them for very little cost. Most of these spells fall under one of two categories: clearing the field or getting more cards than your opponent.

One of my favorite cards (and one often overlooked) is Emergency Provisions. One of the best known uses for it involves Mirage of Nightmare. You set your hand (leaving you with zero cards) before activating Mirage. You then draw four cards, and chain Emergency Provisions to send Mirage to the graveyard. Since Mirage is gone, you don’t have to discard, so you lose two cards (Emergency Provisions and Mirage of Nightmare) to draw four and gain 1000 life points. Also, if you draw Emergency Provisions with Fiber Jar, you can basically reset the game with an extra few thousand life points.

Spells: 17

1 Pot of Greed

1 Graceful Charity

1 Painful Choice

1 Forceful Sentry

1 Delinquent Duo

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Heavy Storm

1 Harpie’s Feather Duster

1 Raigeki

1 Dark Hole

1 Monster Reborn

1 Premature Burial

1 Mirage of Nightmare

1 Emergency Provisions

1 Change of Heart

1 Snatch Steal

1 Scapegoat

The Traps

The trap lineup is small, simple, and to the point. You have five of the most universally powerful traps in the game, nothing more and nothing less. Mirror Force and Torrential Tribute will clear the field, while Ring of Destruction will allow you quick victories and added monster removal. Imperial Order, one of the most amazing traps in the game, will negate about half your opponent’s deck.

Traps: 5

1 Mirror Force

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Ring of Destruction

1 Call of the Haunted

1 Imperial Order

The deck plays fast, and it doesn’t stop until the duel is over. You’ll be summoning powerful monsters almost every turn, and you’ll be able to rush the field at a moment’s notice. With three copies of Cyber Dragon, two Chaos monsters, Monster Reborn, and Premature Burial, you’ll quickly fill your monster zones and deal damage.

You’ll be able to recycle your cards once they hit the graveyard, either through recursion or as Chaos fodder. Every card will be used to its utmost capability.

While there are several abilities that allow one-turn knockouts with this deck (including overloading the field and overwhelming an unsuspecting opponent), always be mindful of the “Yata lock.” If an opponent is unable to play a card during his or her turn, poking with a Yata might actually win the game. Also, if you have Chaos Emperor Dragon and either Sangan or Witch of the Black Forest on the field at the same time, you can win the game without even using your normal summon. You can destroy the field and hand, search your deck for Yata-Garasu, and attack with the bird until your opponent either concedes or perishes.

You’ll find yourself with an upper hand against most mirror matches, and a consistent matchup against any other deck. With a smart side deck, you’ll be ready to take on any opponent. You’ll want to guard against Magical Scientist OTK decks, Last Turn strategies, and the Empty Jar OTK deck we’ll be covering next week.

The Side Deck

3 Elephant Statue of Disaster

3 Neko Mane King

3 Twister

3 Waboku

3 Solemn Judgment

This side deck looks a bit simplistic, but it’s effective against most of this deck’s feared opponents. Twister will help to stop Dimensional Fissure decks, as well as burn. Neko Mane King stops OTKs, while Elephant Statue of Disaster rips Last Turn apart. Waboku stops Cyber-Stein, along with any attack based on a one-turn knockout. Finally, Solemn Judgment is the deck’s answer to anything else.

Utilizing the side deck, you’ll have an answer to just about anything. Your main deck is one of the most consistently powerful the game has ever created. In all, Cookie Cutter Chaos has earned its place as the most powerful deck in the format. By playing with and against this deck, you’ll attain a greater understanding of the Traditional format. Every card is powerful, but when used together, they are extraordinary. This is the kind of deck you could imagine Yugi Muto wielding to find answers to even the strangest of adversaries. Anything can happen with Chaos, and that’s why it’s so much fun to play. While playing with this deck won’t directly help you win a Shonen Jump, it will indirectly make you a better player. And you never know: you might even have some fun!