Change is an inevitability in everything, and the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is no stranger to it. Every six months we face a major change: the transition of formats. It’s healthy for the game. Nobody likes the same set of cards allowed for play for too long. Any sane player has grown weary of having to deal with Snatch Steal and Ring of Destruction. Six months is long enough.

In these chaotic times of change, we need to be prepared. Format shifts are beneficial for everyone, even for those who tend to resist them. They give you an opportunity to discard old ideas in exchange for new ones. On the other hand, it can be difficult for those players who finally figured everything out and who now have to change gears again.

Either way, change is good. It pays to be less resistant to it.

So how do you prepare for a totally new play environment? How do you adjust to major changes in the game? What will you do when your deck design becomes obsolete due to an evolving metagame?

Today I’ll show you how to prepare and capitalize on major changes.

When Change is Looming . . .

What do you do when change is looming around the corner? We’ve got a new format arriving tomorrow. Are you ready? Here’s what you can do:

1) Get a copy of the upcoming Forbidden list.

2) Put your old ideas to rest.

3) Make new decks with the new format and practice with them.

4) Pay attention to the “word.”

5) Debate your ideas.

Study the Changes

Your first responsibility is to digest the latest changes to the Forbidden list. You don’t have to memorize it, but you should be at least familiar with it. Try to identify the obvious strengths that certain decks, cards, or strategies will gain as a result of this new list. Ask yourself some questions:

—Which decks will benefit the most from these changes?

—Which cards are strengthened by these changes?

—Which strategies are strengthened by these changes?

—Which decks are most likely to be popular in an unknown format?

Answering these questions will give you good idea of what you’re up against.

Let It Go . . .

Tip #2 is to put your old ideas to rest. It’s good to learn how to challenge your own ideas. We tend to stay consistent with what we think is a good idea.

I make it an exercise to find out how to tear apart my own ideas. If you’ve come up with a stellar deck concept that is seemingly unbeatable, then you should be proud. Your next job is to find every way you can to beat that deck. You will benefit the most from knowing both sides of the story. You know your deck is really good. Now you need to know how your deck is not good. What’s bad about it? What can opponents throw at it to make it perform poorly?

Then, use that knowledge to your advantage to enhance your current build. You’ll find that you will be prepared for most of what your opponent can throw at you during a match.

Time to Practice!

Tip #3 is really an extension of #2. Once you have that brand-new deck you need to do the obvious: practice. There is no substitute for practice. And boy do you need practice when a new format rolls around.

Don’t think you’ll get by on good deck ideas alone. You have to get used to the pace of this new format: how it plays, how fast it is, and how the Forbidden list interacts with your deck during actual game play. You can say anything you want on paper. Try it out in the real world and see if your results don’t change a tad.

Keep an Ear to the Public

Tip #4 is to pay attention to what the general gaming public is talking about. This is a great grassroots source of new ideas for new-format decks. Visit a few online forums and read through the different posts and comments. Pay close attention to the complaints about the format. What are players complaining about? This gives you a good idea of what they are afraid of.

What are players over-hyping? This gives you an idea of what may be your most common matchup during tournaments. Try to be a contrarian toward the trends. Get creative and figure out what will stop the most popular decks. You don’t have to turn your deck into an anti-metagame strategy: just be sure you know what you’re up against and ensure that you’re adequately prepared for it.  

Place Your Ideas Out in the Open

Tip #5 is to debate your ideas with other players. Despite the large amount of negative criticism that comes from some duelists, you should remember to take it all with a grain of salt. Try to be a bit more thick-skinned and look for the valid points of a given piece of criticism. Forums are an excellent place to do this. Nowhere else do you have access to thousands of different players than in an online forum. Naturally, you’re going to get those players who will just tell you that you don’t have the skills to build a good deck. Just keep in mind that everyone’s perception of a good deckbuilder is largely subjective.

Don’t get me wrong though . . . you won’t always find strong negative criticism. Be prepared for it and try not to take it personally. Ultimately what matters is your opinion about your decks, but it doesn’t hurt to get other ideas as well. Also, be sure to debate your deck or format ideas with your testing partners. The best way to filter the good ideas from the bad is to put them to the test. Your testing partners are excellent for that. In fact, just last week during my usual Tuesday night testing sessions, it took me four hours of testing to figure out that the deck I was using was mediocre at best. If I had taken that deck to a tournament, I would have been sorely disappointed with its performance.

Final Thoughts

Every two to three major tournaments, we see a shift in the popularity of certain decks. Every six months, we experience a drastic change when the Forbidden and Limited lists are modified. Be prepared for this. Your favorite deck may not be the best choice. Learning to deal with that is essential to your success as a duelist.

—Bryan Camareno