Typically, specific decks dominate a metagame and, therefore, are played more frequently. Warriors, Chaos, and Control are the first decks that come to mind. However, just because a deck is used the most does not mean that it’s the best. Besides, it’s always fun to run something different than everyone else . . . especially when you win with it. So, with the release of Rise of Destiny lending support to previously unsuccessful decks, we can examine an old list that might now be viable.

Let’s take a look at a Fire-based deck. Rise of Destiny gave Fire decks cards like Ultimate Baseball Kid and Raging Fire Sprite. You can use them in combination with older cards like Backfire and Molten Destruction to make a complete, tournament-worthy Fire deck. But which way should this deck go? A Fire beatdown deck, perhaps? Or maybe a Fire control deck, with lots of Thestalos the Firestorm Monarchs and UFO Turtles? I think the best way to go with this is a Fire Stall/Burn deck. Strong monsters that can attack while your opponent’s monsters can’t are nice.

First, let’s examine the monsters. Raging Flame Sprite is a 100 ATK/200 DEF Fire monster that can attack your opponent directly. When it does, this sprite gains 1000 ATK. So, you’d summon the Sprite, hit for 100 life points, and raise the Sprite up to 1100 ATK. Now, here’s the tricky part . . . 1100 ATK is pretty weak, but 2100 ATK on the next turn is really nice. You just have to keep Raging Flame Spirit alive for one more attack, and then it becomes a damage dealing beat stick. Gravity Bind and Level Limit - Area B can help you to do that. Then, you attack for 1100, gain 1000 ATK, and ramp your Sprite up to a Gorilla-crushing 2100 ATK. Not bad at all!

Another Fire monster to play is Ultimate Baseball Kid. On its own, it won’t stand much of a chance, but combined with a couple other Fire monsters, it grows to 2500 ATK! You can slap around that Jinzo with a li’l kid. Plus, it has a Cannon Soldier-like effect for Fire monsters, so this guy can be a game ender, as well. The Kid just needs some Fire friends on the field to be a powerful threat, and that shouldn’t be too hard to do.

Solar Flare Dragon is a perfect monster for this type of deck. The dragon will protect other Fire monsters from being attacked. With two Solar Flare Dragons on the field, you’ll create a locking Marauding Captain type of effect, which is good for both stalling and protection. In addition to its protective support, the Dragon will slowly but surely burn your opponent down to 0 unless he or she can get rid of it.

UFO Turtle is a Fire monster that has been out for a long time, yet has not seen much play until now. UFO Turtle can stall your opponent in the event that your support spells or traps are gone, all while searching for more Fire monsters with which to swarm the field, like Raging Flame Sprite and Ultimate Baseball Kid. It can also help set up a lock by searching for a Solar Flare Dragon.

Those are the monsters that I think would go well in this deck, but what about spells and traps? Molten Destruction is an obvious choice. Turning 1500 ATK monsters into 2000 ATK monsters is cool. It also makes the Kid and the Sprite strong enough to take on popular monsters. The deck space may, however, be needed for more important cards. Play Molten Destruction in a Fire Beatdown deck instead, or keep it in the Side Deck to counter field card–reliant decks, such as Harpy and Necrovalley.

Of course, since we’re going with the Stall/Burn version of the Fire deck, we’re going to need . . . some stall. Level Limit - Area B, Gravity Bind, and Swords of Revealing Light are necessary to keep the opponent at bay. Other cards like Waboku ensure that monsters like Sprite and Kid last long enough to fight back against strong monsters. Wave-Motion Cannon also works nicely, even if only as a decoy for spell and trap removal, keeping your Fire monsters protected. Also, your opponent will always be worried about the possibility of Wave-Motion Cannon finishing the game.

Last Will is a great spell card. If any of your monsters get destroyed by trap cards while attacking, you can use Last Will to search for an Ultimate Baseball Kid, another Solar Flare Dragon, or any other Fire monster to boost Ultimate Baseball Kid’s attack. It can also be used very nicely with the Kid’s special effect of launching Fire-type monsters. Launch a Fire monster, play Last Will, and get a better one. Or use it when suiciding a UFO Turtle to bring out two monsters instead of one when stall isn’t readily available.

For a Fire-based deck, Backfire is pretty nice. Although 500 damage doesn’t sound like much, it’s on top of what the dead monster did, as well—it adds up.

So, after reviewing the cards that’ll go into the deck, let’s make the list:

Monsters: 16

3 UFO Turtle

3 Solar Flare Dragon

3 Ultimate Baseball Kid

3 Raging Flame Sprite

2 Lava Golem

2 Stealth Bird

Spells: 12

1 Pot of Greed

1 Swords of Revealing Light

2 Last Will

2 Magic Reflector

3 Wave-Motion Cannon

3 Level Limit - Area B

Traps: 12

1 Ring of Destruction

1 Call of the Haunted

2 Backfire

2 Fake Trap

3 Gravity Bind

3 Ojama Trio

Stealth Bird has great synergy with the deck’s protective spell and trap cards. Magic Reflector will help keep Wave-Motion Cannon and Level Limit - Area B out longer against spell and trap removal like Mystical Space Typhoon and Dust Tornado. Fake Trap works in a similar way, but for Gravity Bind. Without the stall cards, the monsters may become vulnerable. Ojama Trio allows you to use easy monsters to kill for life point damage, or to clog up your opponent’s monster slots. You could use Ojama Trio, kill one token, then use another Trio . . . and you win.

For the Side Deck, you could turn this Fire Stall/Burn deck into a Fire Beatdown deck. Use Molten Destruction, Battle Footballer, Thestalos the Fire Monarch, and maybe Darkfire Soldier #1 and #2, along with a side of monster removal, and it could work. Personally, I would simply anticipate any weaknesses this deck might have and prepare for them. For example, Swarm of Locusts or Magicians of Faith/Masks of Darkness could knock out some key spell/trap support, so a couple Nobleman of Crossouts would be a nice counter. Or, just use some of your own. Hopefully, though, you’ll have the strength of a beatdown deck and the stall and burn capabilities of a . . . well, a Stall/Burn deck.