And so it goes. That kind of exchange happens every day on the message boards and in conversation. Why? Because each person's impression of the game on a local level is usually based on the small variations of decks he or she might see at a local shop or among friends. You can see trends in a local shop or in small regions, but there is a larger game environment out there that extends beyond the local or regional environment--the metagame. The metagame is made up of all the local conditions, cards released, and rulings. It also includes the skill, opinions, and strategies of all duelists, not just a handful of duelists that that shape the local scene.

This article series has one objective--to let you live that metagame. Even if you only duel in one location, I hope to convey the state and trends of the metagame to you so that you can gain from the experience and observations of others. The metagame is bigger than any one person, and I don't pretend to "know" the entire thing. No one really can. The metagame is in a constant state of change, thanks to the introduction of new cards, new strategies, new rulings, and new players. For that reason, much of the focus of this article series will be on what can be observed at the official Regional and National tournaments, since they provide the closest thing to a snapshot of the metagame.


What the "Metagame" Means to You

Recently, organized play for Yu-Gi-Oh! has been taken to a new level, and the new cards in Magician’s Force and Dark Crisis have changed the metagame substantially. Some of the newly released cards have amazing effects that enable new strategies and give the duelist a dizzying array of options when trying to build a world-class deck. This article provides an overview of current and emerging deck types, as well as the overall metagame, for both beginner-level and intermediate duelists. It may provide a new perspective for the experienced duelist as well.


A Survey of Deck Types: The Basics

Decks are built to win (and to have fun in the process, of course). As you know, there are three ways to win a duel. First, you can reduce your opponent’s life points to 0. This can be accomplished in two ways: battle damage or effect damage. The second way to win is by a special game condition, such as having the five pieces of Exodia in your hand. Finally, you can win if your opponent is unable to draw a card when required to do so (“decking out”). Based on the ways you can win, there are four main categories that decks fall into:

1.  Battle Damage (Beatdown)
2.  Effect Damage (Burn)
3.  Special Win Conditions
4.  Deck Destruction

Every deck can be classified as one of those four types. Of course, most decks contain elements of one or more of the other types. For example, it's fairly common for a Beatdown deck to include cards such as Ring of Destruction, a card that inflicts damage by effect.

Beatdown decks are designed to win based on reducing an opponent’s life points to 0 through battle. Hand Control, Dragon, Fiend, and so on are all forms of Beatdown. Beatdown is the most common deck type, and it also has the most potential for variation. The most generic form of Beatdown can be viewed as a "Best of Breed" deck, meaning that there is no monster attribute or type theme. These decks are built using the best of the best cards that can get the job done.

Burn decks are designed to win by inflicting damage through card effect (as opposed to battle). Slowly but surely, each set released has improved the viability of Burn decks. Magical Scientist, Wave-Motion Cannon, and other cards make the Burn deck viable as a serious deck type in the current metagame.

Decks that win through special win conditions are designed to meet specific conditions set out by various cards, such as Exodia, Last Turn, Destiny Board, and Final Countdown. In the current environment, Exodia has some interesting possibilities, as discussed further in this article.

Deck Destruction decks are designed to rapidly reduce the cards in an opponent’s deck to the point that the opponent "decks out." This deck type includes cards that stall the opponent (Gravity Bind or Messenger of Peace, for example) while forcing him or her to draw or pick up cards from the deck. Although an effective deck of this type can be built around cards such as Vampire Lord, Don Zaloog, Needleworm, Gravekeeper’s Servant, and Morphing Jar, this type has yet to see extensive tournament play.


Lessons Learned

Regardless of deck type, there are some key lessons learned since the game began that impact deck construction, regardless of deck type.

Deck Count

There is no maximum deck size under the rules. However, you will rarely see a top Regional, National, or World Championship tournament deck exceed 43 cards, with the typical deck size being 40 or 41 cards. While some people strongly disagree with that approach, it's based on mathematics and probability as opposed to just a general opinion. The bottom line is that a 40-card deck will perform more consistently each time you play it than a deck with a higher number of cards. If you are playing just for fun, you may find that consistency boring because you draw the same hand and the same combinations all the time. If you are a tournament player trying to win, then you are looking for that consistency.

Balance

No matter what type a deck is, it should be balanced. "Balanced" means that the deck is capable of removing or defending against a monster attack, removing or negating the opponent’s spell and trap cards, and executing its own primary strategy. Most 40-card balanced decks in the current metagame contain approximately six spell and trap removal cards and at least six monster removal cards. Typically, a deck will contain between four and eight trap cards and not more than two flip effects (for speed reasons) unless the theme of the deck requires more. These are not rigid rules, but they are what many top duelists use as general guidelines.

Advantage

The focus of the best players is on ensuring that they maintain advantage in each of the following areas:

1.  Hand
2.  Field
3.  Life Points

Hand advantage means that you have more cards in your hand than your opponent, which will give you more play options. You get hand advantage by managing your hand properly, removing cards from your opponent’s hand, or preventing your opponent from drawing.

Field advantage means that you maintain control of the field by removing your opponent’s cards from the field while keeping yours in play or by preventing your opponent from playing cards in the first place. In that way, you will have more monsters and cards on the field than your opponent.

It has been said that the only life point to worry about is your last. While there is a lot of truth to that, effective protection of life points is critical so that cards such as Premature Burial and Ring of Destruction can be activated to seal the win. Some theme decks, such as those based on Archfiends, require solid life point management. Generally, if you have field and hand advantage, then life point advantage will follow.

Topdecking

Topdecking performance is also considered carefully by savvy duelists. "Topdecking" refers to a time during a duel when your hand has no cards in it, and you need to rely on whatever you draw to save you.

For anybody interested in how you figure out how well your deck topdecks (other than by experience), I do the following with a newly built deck:

1. Assume you have 2000 life points.

2. Assume your opponent has a 1900 ATK monster and Jinzo on the field.

3. Draw through your deck one card at a time and mark on a piece of paper if that single draw helps or doesn't help stop an immediate loss during your opponent's next turn if the opponent attacks with the 1900 ATK monster first. Count Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity in the "help" column, but don't draw for them.

4. If more than half of your cards are in the "help" column, your deck topdecks fine. If less than half are, it doesn't. If less than 25 percent of your total deck helps you, your deck probably needs some reworking.

The reason that Jinzo is assumed to be in play during this process is to account for spell and trap removal cards your opponent is assumed to have to remove your triggered traps. Cards such as Waboku are also taken out of the equation, which is good because it stalls the game for one turn but does not help your topdecking performance.

There are many reasons why this isn't a completely accurate measure of how likely your deck is to topdeck well--it's just meant to give you a rough idea.


The World Tournament Revisited

At the World Championship, Hand Control strategies were dominant. Virtually all of the decks included elements of Hand Control, including such cards as Delinquent Duo, Confiscation, The Forceful Sentry, Don Zaloog, Spirit Reaper, Drop Off, and Time Seal. Monsters with 1400 ATK and less owned the tournament. However, since Worlds 2003, two sets have been released, Magician's Force and Dark Crisis.


The Drivers for Change

Since Worlds, the environment has changed dramatically. Magician’s Force and Dark Crisis have altered the five key elements listed below:

Spell/Trap Removal

As more powerful effects have been introduced into the game, the need to remove or negate them has become even more important. It's now common to have at least 15 percent of a deck dedicated to removal or negation of spell and trap cards. It is common to see Breaker the Magical Warrior, Heavy Storm, Harpie’s Feather Duster, three Mystical Space Typhoons, and Imperial Order in a deck.

Speed

Time is against any duelist in the current game. There are many powerful combinations that can end the duel immediately. The best decks are those that can deliver a win quickly and reliably by allowing you to draw and to summon monsters faster than your opponent. For that reason, card drawing and search cards (Sangan and Witch of the Black Forest, for example) are found in most tournament-winning decks. The key card drawing cards available still include Pot of Greed, Graceful Charity, and Mirage of Nightmare; Airknight Parsath and The Masked Sorcerer are sometimes used to draw faster. The Magic Ruler search/summon cards are seeing more play than ever, especially Mystic Tomato, Shining Angel, and Giant Rat. Many theme decks are faster due to special effects for specific themes, such as Book of Life for Zombie Decks.

Trap cards were generally kept at a minimum because of speed and Jinzo. An interesting trend appears to be in progress--the number of trap cards in many decks is increasing in response to the increase in spell/trap removal and the ease with which Jinzo can now be removed by Effect monsters. Additionally, it appears that many duelists believe their thirst for speed has been quenched and are willing to increase the number of traps in their decks.

Effect Monsters--Shifting the Equation

The trend in deck construction prior to Worlds was to reduce the number of monsters in a deck to fifteen or sixteen. Some duelists were going as low as ten monsters! Breaker the Magical Warrior, Exiled Force, Tribe-Infecting Virus, Reflect Bounder, D. D. Warrior Lady and the like have changed that due to their potentially game-breaking effects. The new trend is to increase the monster count since these Effect monsters can sometimes be more versatile than their spell or trap card counterparts.

The Power of 1900

It wasn’t that long ago that many duelists sought the prized Mechanicalchaser for its 1850 ATK--and paid dearly for it unless they were very lucky! While Goblin Attack Force, Giant Orc, Spear Dragon, and Zombyra the Dark all have their merits, stable attackers without a downside were lacking in the environment. Gemini Elf was the first of a slew of stable 1900 ATK monsters, and Dark Crisis gave us a 1900 ATK Fiend as a rare. Better yet, many 1900 ATK monsters are available with bonus effects, such as Skilled Dark Magician. In the current metagame, 1900 ATK is now viewed by most duelists as the baseline for non-Effect monsters.

Fusion Decks

Although they were fun, Fusion decks weren't played by serious duelists prior to Worlds. Magical Scientist has opened up a whole new world, and its impact on the tournament scene has just begun. The ability to special summon at will a level 6 Fusion monster of your choice is nothing short of amazing. There is a price, of course, and there are limits--more on that later.


The New Deck Types

The possibilities are nearly endless, limited only by the creativity and deck building skills of the duelist. A brief overview of some of the most successful deck types paints a picture of the metagame landscape.

Beatdown--Defining the Environment

Before Worlds, a tension existed between Power Beatdown and the newer field control - based Beatdown decks that some duelists refer to as “New Age” Beatdown. The Power Beatdown deck relies on equip spell cards and higher tribute monsters to deliver a quick win. New Age beatdown focuses on stable level 4 attackers and massive card removal to clear the field for direct attacks.

However, it was Hand Control - Hand Disruption Beatdown that dominated Worlds and continues to be a viable stand-alone deck type. The “trio” (Delinquent Duo, Confiscation, and The Forceful Sentry), Don Zaloog, Yata, and Spirit Reaper continue to be the heart of such decks. Currently, there is a distinct trend towards Beatdown - Hand Control Hybrids, with the emphasis more on the Beatdown aspect. The Hybrid decks appear to be the most successful in the current metagame because they can compete effectively against all known deck types. These decks are sometimes referred to as Aggro Control, meaning "aggressive control," but I rarely use that term because it sounds too much like some sort of agricultural product. Then again, "Beatdown Hybrid" sounds like a new kind of plant. I suppose the most accurate description is "Best-of-Breed Beatdown-Incorporating Hand Disruption with Control Elements." I doubt that name will catch on anytime soon, so let's stick with Beatdown - Hand Control Hybrid. No matter what we call it, it usually looks similar to the sample deck that follows.

Sample Beatdown - Hand Control Hybrid
42 cards total

Monsters
1 Breaker the Magical Warrior
2 D. D. Warrior Lady
1 Don Zaloog
1 Fiber Jar
1 Jinzo
1 Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer
1 Magical Scientist
1 Mystic Tomato
1 Sangan
1 Sinister Serpent
1 Tribe-Infecting Virus
1 Vampire Lord
1 Witch of the Black Forest
1 Yata Garasu

Spells
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
1 Delinquent Duo
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Heavy Storm
1 Mirage of Nightmare
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Nobleman of Crossout
1 Painful Choice
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
1 Scapegoat
1 Snatch Steal
1 The Forceful Sentry

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Waboku

The above is a Top 10 deck from a Regional tournament. As is typical in the current tournament scene, there is a limited number of hand control cards in this deck--limited enough to question whether one each of Don Zaloog, Yata, The Forceful Sentry, and Delinquent Duo make it a Hybrid. However, a lot depends on how the deck is played as opposed to just a card count.

Theme Beatdowns--Competitive Types

"I hate beatdown--my Fiend deck eats Beatdowns for breakfast!" I hear statements like that all the time. A Fiend deck is a Beatdown deck,just like similar theme decks. If a deck's main objective is to take the opponent's life points to 0 through battle damage, then it's a Beatdown deck.

To be a theme Beatdown deck, every monster in the deck does not have to be that theme type. The idea is to use monsters of the desired type that work with what I call the "heart of the deck" cards. For example, Dark Necrofear can be the heart of a Fiend deck because it ties the deck together--you need fiends in the graveyard to special summon Necrofear. However, I don't recommend excluding every card that is not a Fiend in such a deck. Witch of the Black Forest, Tribe-Infecting Virus, and the like fit nicely into many theme decks. The idea behind a theme deck should be to make a more powerful deck based on maximizing the way certain cards support and interact with each other.

The overview that follows does not attempt to describe every possible theme Beatdown deck. It provides an overview of those most often seen in the tournament scene. The sample decks are just that--samples. They are provided to help you get an idea of what cards might be found in such decks designed for tournament play. Some are based on successful Regional tournament decks. Please note that only the main decks are featured. Future articles will address side deck and fusion deck issues in more detail.

Warrior Domination

Warriors have continued to prove their worth since Worlds and may still be the core of the fastest deck type that can be built. While Amazoness and Dark Scorpion Warrior deck variations appear promising, the main Warrior deck type in the current metagame is the Warrior - Hand Control Hybrid, which is fast and deadly. The heart of a Warrior deck includes Reinforcement of the Army and Marauding Captain. It is from these cards that Warrior decks gain their speed. Warrior Returning Alive is also a good Warrior-based card that helps tie the decks together. However, Warrior decks are typically among the worst topdeck performers and do poorly against more dedicated Hand Disruption - Control decks.

Sample Warrior - Hand Control Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
1 Breaker the Magical Warrior
1 Cyber Jar
2 D. D. Warrior Lady
2 Don Zaloog
1 Exiled Force
1 Goblin Attack Force
1 Jinzo
2 Marauding Captain
1 Sangan
1 Sinister Serpent
1 Tribe-Infecting Virus
1 Witch of the Black Forest
1 Yata
1 Zombyra the Dark

Spells
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
1 Delinquent Duo
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
2 Reinforcement of the Army
1 Riryoku
1 Snatch Steal
1 The Forceful Sentry

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction
1 Torrential Tribute

This deck contains the typical ratio of monster, spell, and trap cards, as well as including the Warriors most often included in such a deck. Most, but not all, Warrior players have abandoned Freed the Matchless General. While it's not shown here, a well-planned side deck is very important to support this deck type.

Fiend Frenzy

Fiends keep getting better and better. Level 4, 1900 ATK monsters, incredible effects, and now the Archfiends make the Fiend deck variations staggering. Dark Necrofear has returned to the scene in a big way since Necrofear-based decks do very well in an environment that includes a lot of Hand Disruption.

Sample Fiend Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
3 Archfiend Soldier
1 Dark Jeroid
2 Dark Necrofear
1 Dark Ruler Ha Des
2 Infernalqueen Archfiend
3 Kuriboh
1 Newdoria
1 Sangan
1 Sinister Serpent
1 Skull Archfiend of Lightning
2 Terrorking Archfiend
1 Witch of the Black Forest

Spells
1 Change of Heart
1 Creature Swap
1 Dark Hole
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Metamorphosis
1 Mirage of Nightmare
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Painful Choice
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
1 Snatch Steal
1 Swords of Revealing Light

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Ceasefire
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction

With so many really good Fiends released, many Fiend deck variations are possible including a pure Archfiend archetype. This sample is just one possible approach. While the card errata for Infernalqueen Archfiend has fixed a "broken card," I believe you will still see it in Archfiend decks as a decent support card.

Zombie Revival--One Card Makes a Difference

Zombies were almost a laughable deck type before Pharaonic Guardian was released. Now, they're at the heart of a formidable deck that competes well against most other deck types. Vampire Lord is the single card that has revived interest in this deck type due to its decent effects. While some duelists use Vampire Lord outside of Zombie decks, it really shines with the Zombie support cards, such as Pyramid Turtle, Book of Life, and Call of the Mummy. Zombie decks are extremely fast, due largely to the use of three Pyramid Turtles and three Books of Life. They also attack and defend well, with cards such as Patrician of Darkness and Spirit Reaper. With the addition of Fear from the Dark and Despair from the Dark, Zombie decks also have some defense against Hand Control.

Sample Zombie Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
2 D. D. Warrior Lady
1 Jinzo
2 Patrician of Darkness
3 Pyramid Turtle
1 Sangan
1 Sinister Serpent
3 Spirit Reaper
1 Tribe-Infecting Virus
1 Vampire Lord
1 Witch of the Black Forest
1 Yata Garasu

Spells
3 Book of Life
2 Card of Safe Return
1 Creature Swap
1 Dark Hole
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Painful Choice
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
1 Snatch Steal

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
1 Raigeki Break

This is just one type of Zombie deck. It's similar to one played in a Regional tournament. Some players prefer to add Call of the Mummy to the main deck and may also include Despair from the Dark and/or Fear from the Dark. Dark Dust Spirit can also be used effectively.

Rise of the Machines

Machines became more competitive with the release of Magician’s Force. The XYZ components and Limiter Removal typically form the heart of the deck. Dark Crisis included one of the best Machines in the game, Reflect Bounder. Limiter Removal compensates for the fact that there are no level 4, 1900 ATK Machines yet. Shining Angel is typically used to bring out a Y or Z component, and Limiter Removal does the rest. Decks that use the now-unrestricted Limiter Removal are sometimes referred to as "Redline" decks. Limiter Removal Machine decks can be fast and powerful, but they may be the worst topdecking performers and can fall apart quickly against Control decks.

Sample Machine Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
1 Jinzo
1 Fiber Jar
1 Reflect Bounder
1 Sangan
3 Shining Angel
1 Sinister Serpent
1 Tribe-Infecting Virus
1 Witch of the Black Forest
2 X Head
2 Y Head
2 Z Head

Spells
1 Creature Swap
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Heavy Storm
3 Limiter Removal
1 Mirage of Nightmare
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
1 Snatch Steal

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Interdimensional Matter Transporter
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction
1 Torrential Tribute

The above deck would also be supported by a Fusion deck, which would include all of the XYZ Fusion monsters, at least two of each.

The Crypt Keepers

Pharaonic Guardian was a milestone for theme decks. It was the first booster release that contained all the monsters of a particular type required to make the theme deck, as well as the heart of a Gravekeeper's deck: Necrovalley. The one really overlooked effect of Necrovalley is that it boosts the stats of all Gravekeeper's monsters by 500. Take a look at the Gravekeeper's monster's stats assuming Necrovalley is on the field, and you will appreciate the power of a Gravekeeper's deck. Necrovalley can't stop the effects of cards such as Witch of the Black Forest, Sangan, Sinister Serpent, and Mystic Tomato, but it does seriously hamper an opponent from using the effects of other key cards, such as Monster Reborn, Call of the Haunted, Premature Burial, Fiber Jar, and Magician of Faith. A great field spell card and some really good Effect monsters make a Gravekeeper's deck formidable.

Sample Gravekeeper's Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
2 Gravekeeper's Assailant
2 Gravekeeper’s Cannonholder
2 Gravekeeper's Chief
3 Gravekeeper's Guard
2 Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier
3 Gravekeeper's Spy
1 Sangan
1 Witch of the Black Forest

Spells
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
3 Necrovalley
1 Pot of Greed
1 Raigeki
1 Snatch Steal
1 Swords of Revealing Light
2 Terraforming

Traps
1 Imperial Order
1 Magic Cylinder
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction
3 Rite of Spirit
2 Waboku

This kind of deck is one reason why I don't even try to define what cards are "staples" (cards that belong in all decks). It's worth noting that two cards considered staples by many, Monster Reborn and Call of the Haunted, are not found in this deck.

The Best of the Rest

Earth decks are still a great deck type, often incorporating Giant Rat, Injection Fairy Lily, and Earth Warriors. Light, Dark, Water, Spellcaster, and Dragon decks show up occasionally on the tournament scene. While each is fun to play and may become stronger or more popular in the future, time will tell if any of them will have any real impact on the metagame. The next set will give some of these types a boost, but I'll have more to say on that in future articles.

This sample is used to highlight just one of the many competitive deck types that can be built.

Sample Light-Control Deck
41 cards total

Monsters
2 Airknight Parshath
1 Breaker the Magical Warrior
1 D. D. Warrior Lady
1 Fiber Jar
1 Gemini Elf
2 Giant Rat
3 Hysteric Fairy
2 Kelbek
3 Mudora
2 Shining Angel
1 Yata Garasu

Spells
1 Cestus of Dagla
1 Change Of Heart
1 Delinquent Duo
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Heavy Storm
1 Monster Reborn
1 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Pot of Greed
1 Raigeki
1 Snatch Steal
1 The Forceful Sentry

Traps
3 Drop Off
1 Imperial Order
1 Magic Drain
1 Mirror Force
1 Ring of Destruction
2 Time Seal
1 Torrential Tribute

This particular deck drives home the point that even though a deck can be described as a "Beatdown - Hand Control Hybrid," there's no guarantee that Don Zaloog and Spirit Reaper will be part of the monster lineup.


Special Win Conditions--Exodia Returns

Exodia is back! Interestingly, the release of Exodia Necros in Dark Crisis sparked interest in Exodia decks again. Personally, I view Exodia Necross as nothing more than a side deck card, if it's used at all. For me at least, it holds an honored spot in the binder next to Gate Guardian. However, cards such as Butterfly Dagger - Elma can increase the speed of an Exodia win. Elma, used in conjunction with Gearfried the Iron Knight and Royal Magical Library, make Exodia decks something to be feared again. An off-the-wall concept deck is shown below.

Sample Exodia-Elma Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
2 D. D. Warrior Lady
1 Exodia the Forbidden One
2 Gearfried the Iron Knight
3 Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu
1 Left Arm of the Forbidden One
1 Left Leg of the Forbidden One
1 Right Arm of the Forbidden One
1 Right Leg of the Forbidden One
2 Royal Magical Library
1 Sangan
2 Shining Angel
1 Witch of the Black Forest

Spells
1 Butterfly Dagger - Elma
1 Change of Heart
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Heavy Storm
1 Mirage of Nightmare
1 Monster Reborn
2 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
2 Reinforcement of the Army
1 Snatch Steal

Traps
2 Backup Soldier
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
1 Pharaoh's Treasure
1 Waboku

Other decks than with via a special win condition, such as Destiny Board, Final Countdown and Last Turn, may have a hopeful future but have not had much of an impact on the metagame so far. However, Final Countdown has appeared at Regionals and is surprisingly competitive.

Burn Reignited--Magical Scientist and Its Impact

Cards such as Wave Motion Cannon have created interest in the Stall-Burn deck, which relies heavily on Gravity Bind and other traditional stall cards to fry the opponent. However, the hot burn deck today is the Magical Scientist deck. The key combination is using Scientist and Catapult Turtle to summon high attack, level 6 Fusion monsters. Dark Flare Knight, at 2200 ATK, has the highest attack among monsters of that type in the current game, with 2100 ATK monsters (Empress Judge, Punished Eagle, and Roaring Ocean Snake) as the second string. Typically Cannon Soldier, Last Will, and Reasoning are used to quickly bring out Scientist and Turtle. However, there are many variations to this deck type, including combination with other traditional burn cards.

Magical Scientist has also found its way into other deck types, since you can bring out any level 6 or lower Fusion monster other than the XYZ Fusions. At a cost of 1000 life points per summon, many duelists find this to be a reasonable way to bring out cards such as Dark Balter the Terrible to negate Effect monsters or Ryu Senshi to negate trap cards. The downside is that the special summoned monster cannot attack directly and is destroyed at the end of the turn. Cards such as Book of Moon and Interdimensional Matter Transporter are being used by some duelists to save the Fusion monsters.

Even though it's restricted to one per deck, you can expect Magical Scientist to be an important part of the metagame for the foreseeable future.

Sample Magical Scientist Deck
40 cards total

Monsters
2 Cannon Soldier
3 Catapult Turtle
1 Fiber Jar
3 Gilasaurus
1 Magical Scientist
2 Mystic Tomato
1 Sangan
1 Sinister Serpent
1 Twin Headed Behemoth
1 Witch of the Black Forest

Spells
1 Card Destruction
1 Change of Heart
1 Dark Hole
1 Graceful Charity
1 Harpie's Feather Duster
1 Heavy Storm
3 Last Will
1 Monster Reborn
3 Mystical Space Typhoon
1 Painful Choice
1 Pot of Greed
1 Premature Burial
1 Raigeki
3 Reasoning
1 Swords of Revealing Light

Traps
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Imperial Order
1 Mirror Force
2 Waboku

There's a wide variety of support cards available for a Magical Scientist deck. The sample deck highlights the use of Reasoning and Gilasaurus.

Unfortunately, other types of Burn decks have been overshadowed by the Magical Scientist deck. While not covered in depth in this article, I believe other builds of Burn have great potential and are underrated. Look for them to have greater impact on the metagame in the future, and also look for future articles on the topic!


The Side Deck--What it Looks Like Today

The importance of the fifteen-card side deck is sometimes overlooked. The current environment is such that it is difficult to build a main deck that can be effective against all decks. This was proven at Worlds, but it's even more critical given the range of effective deck types that you might face at a tournament. Based on the prevalence of Hand Control - Disruption decks, many top duelists have dusted off their binders and now use cards such as Electric Snake in their side decks. I recommend spending as much time building your side deck as you spend building your main deck. In general, you'll want to be prepared to shift your ratio of spell/trap and monster removal or to increase your graveyard removal capabilities. Cards such as Soul Release, Kycoo, Book of Moon, Spear Dragon, Airknight Parsath, Torrential Tribute, and Counter Traps continue to be popular side deck inclusions. Remember, the side deck should be perfectly matched to your deck. It really can make the difference between a win and a loss in tournament play.


Conclusion

The speed, effects, and power of today's decks have expanded the range of competitive deck possibilities. Hopefully, this article achieved its objective of providing you with a survey of the current landscape. Future articles will drill down into the details and monitor the evolving metagame. The metagame will continue to change with each set release, so it’s up to you to apply your skills and imagination to create the next generation of decks!