has proven to be one of the most versatile draw cards since Pot of Greed. A lot of playable monsters are Dark anyway, so it’s not too difficult to play the card in multiples. Nearly any deck can play Allure successfully and without committing as many slots to its successful resolution as you are forced to do with Dark Armed Dragon.

The expected popularity of Allure begets the rise of combo decks. Everyone hates combo decks and you may find yourself teching against combo as if your dueling career depended on it. Where the average combo deck can play up to nine "draw two" cards, as an auto-in, the average Dark Armed Dragon deck can play six.

I was surprised to find out that Six Samurai has seen a genuine resurgence in popularity thanks to Jonathan Moore. The resilient Samurai have gained a tiny flare of combo with their Six Samurai United draw engine and the summoning efficiency of Reasoning. No matter how easily Reasoning is trumped by correct level calls, few decks can slap down an overwhelming field that forces you to respond now or lose. The problem magnifies when you consider the consistency and speed at which this can be accomplished. Maybe John Moore was onto something here? Considering that many post-March 1^{st Regional Qualifier players have been matched up against more Six Samurai decks than normal, I’d say that he was right on the money.}

DDT and Magical Explosion are particularly potent as combo decks (nine "draw two" cards and two copies of Magical Stone Excavation can have that kind of effect). One or two successful resolutions of Reasoning in game 1 with an Explosion deck will generally win you the duel, and often the match. Cyber Valley and Machine Duplication are essential to this process. Valley draws into combo pieces, recovers lost ones, and generally speeds up the deck. DDT is the alternative combo-licious beast that is making an impact on the North American metagame. Without going into repetitive detail, I’ll just say that it’s definitely as potent as Explosion. Low interaction and solitaire potential? Sign me up please!

Since we’re looking for specifics, let’s start with D.D. Crow. The Crow will serve the same purpose it has been serving: as a graveyard hater. Against Explosion, Crow picks that Magical Explosion out of the opponent’s graveyard. Your targets also include Dimension Fusion and Giant Trunade. What makes Trunade so special though? The card solves a lot of problems for the Explosion player if he or she doesn’t happen to go off on the first turn. Torrential Tribute can wreck a Cyber Valley play. The sneaky Crow can also stop crucial Monster Reborn/Premature Burial plays to fetch Disk Commander or Excavation targets. Against DDT, Crow stopping that Trunade in the graveyard can hurt the opponent, especially when you have Royal Oppression active or Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer is preventing any removal for Phoenix Blade. Trunade can rid you of your protection for Kycoo and allow your opponent to steam roll over him to regain the upper hand.

Ring of Defense is another major side option against Explosion. In fact, it’s the best anti-Explosion card we have available. In some cases three copies isn’t enough: that’s why you can play Poison of the Old Man as way to gain life points in the midst of Explosion activations. Explosion decks generally hit for a good 8000 to 9000 life points in one turn with 20 to 25 spells in the graveyard. If the decks come at you with 23 or fewer spells in grave, then the extra 1200 points from the Old Man’s tonic can keep you alive long enough to stage a comeback.

The Semi-Limited status of Book of Moon does a few things for us now: (1) it creates an increase in the general utility of quick-play spells, (2) it blocks attacks, (3) it stops Dark Armed Dragon wreckage, and (4) it makes key combo deck monsters utterly useless on critical turns. For example, Destiny Hero - Dogma doesn’t blast you for 4,000 damage unless he’s face up on the field. Two main-decked copies of Book function as a solid answer to his annoying effect. Valley can’t draw cards if it’s face down. If you force a Dark Armed to hit your face-down Book, then you lose nothing and you create a tactical advantage for yourself against a 1000 DEF powerhouse.

is another very versatile side-deck card. The built-in My Body as a Shield effect for the cost of a single discard makes it a nasty monster to play against Dark Armed. Even better, I like the card versus Burn with its built-in Rainbow Life effect. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too slow as a side option against Explosion. Royal Decree is another killer side card against Return from the Different Dimension, Escape from the Dark Dimension, and the Explosion OTK. Against Explosion you’ll actually get a turn on game 2. This, combined with your main decked or side decked Crows, will seal the deal: a little extra help from Allure doesn’t hurt either.

Six Samurai counters deserve mention in today’s metagame too, and Lightning Vortex is a true-blue counter to Samurai decks. If Shogun says you can only activate one spell or trap per turn, then show your opponent a Vortex. (Threatening Roar and Waboku are solid picks for your Samurai problems too.) Book of Moon is another fantastic anti-Shogun pick in multiple situations. If you need to cycle through your deck with Allure or Destiny Draw multiple times in a turn to find your Dark Armed Dragon or Dimension Fusion, use the Book on Shogun as your out.