There’s no shortage of players eager to hit the stores in search of the latest Structure Deck as its release date draws nearer. Whether players are looking for cards to make an existing Spellcaster deck invincible, interested in trying one out for the first time, seeking out support cards for other decks, or stocking up on inexpensive and easy-to-get versions of staple cards, they know that this deck is in demand.

Now, if you aren’t already mapping out your plan to get your hands on one (or three) of these Structure Decks, why not take a look at what it has to offer? Chances are good you’ll want one too, once you know what’s waiting for you inside that box of wonder. Let’s see what lurks behind that colorful cardboard exterior, shall we?

Hey! It’s got new, previously unreleased cards!

Collectors like Structure Decks because they’ve got new, unreleased cards. This deck has some brand-new monsters and spells, and people are eager to get their hands on them. Some, like Magical Dimension, have been on want lists for quite some time. It’s always nice to get something brand-new to spice up the old trade binder.

It’s got cards that will revolutionize Spellcaster decks!

I must say these latest Structure Decks have done wonders for theme decks, like Water, Zombies, and Warriors. The decks are playable right out of the box, and they give you lots of synergistic cards that you didn’t have before. Spellcaster’s Judgment is loaded with cards like these, and players who have been longing for the cards that would make Spellcasters a force to be reckoned with don’t need any promptings to run out and buy one or two of these decks. Spellcaster fans just can’t wait!

There are some great cards for Spellcasters here, and you’ll be hearing more about them from our other writers. I don’t want to get into their territory, so I won’t spend much time discussing them—but I must mention a few in passing, because you can’t talk about why to buy this deck without bringing them up. I’ll be considerate of my fellow writers and limit my meager observations to three cards: Dark Eradicator Warlock, Magical Dimension and Mystic Box.

Dark Eradicator Warlock

The featured monster for a Structure Deck is always a new one, and there’s usually a lot of debate about how “good” it is. The verdict is still out over Dark Eradicator Warlock—will it or won’t it go on to be playable? Some players champion it stoutheartedly, while others shake their heads. The Warlock does have a great effect for a Spellcaster Burn deck (inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent’s life points each time a normal spell card is activated), but it can be tricky to get out, since you can only special summon it by tributing Dark Magician. At any rate, I think there will be plenty of bold players willing to try it out. There’s been a lot of innovation lately with a stronger reliance on card combos, so let’s wait and see what’s in store for this monster.

Magical Dimension

This is one of the cards that Spellcaster-loving players have been waiting for, and you get two copies of it in this deck! This is a quick-play spell that allows you to trade a Spellcaster monster you have on the field for one in your hand, while destroying one other monster on the field (either yours or your opponent’s). It’s great for getting high-tribute monsters onto the field, without costing you your normal summon for the turn, while simultaneously pushing ahead on field presence. It can fit in a variety of deck strategies; for example, look out for it in Gravekeeper decks (those guys are Spellcasters, too). While this card is somewhat situational, I’m looking forward to seeing some spectacular plays with it in events to come. Don’t disappoint me.

Mystic Box

This could be a nice replacement for Creature Swap in some decks, especially in those that are running plenty of graveyard-activated search monsters. It’s a normal spell that lets you destroy one of your opponent’s monsters and shift control of one of yours to his or her side of the field. Players running Tomato Control will like this card. Wipe out your opponent’s monster, land them with your Mystic Tomato, then out comes Don Zaloog . . . as you can see, it’s got a lot of appeal! Will we see more Griggle/Ameba decks? And I think that I just might have found the last piece of the puzzle for my Giant Kozaky deck. You get the idea.

Last but not least, we’ll look at one of the best parts of Structure decks; namely, new, inexpensive, easy-to-get reprinted versions of high-demand cards! This has always been the biggest attraction of Structure and Starter Decks for me, at least. I didn’t own a D. D. Warrior Lady until one was bestowed on me from Warrior’s Triumph. Thanks, Warrior’s Triumph!

There are some great cards reprinted in this deck. Nearly everyone looks forward to getting themselves a copy of Breaker the Magical Warrior, if they don’t already have one—with the possible exception of players who didn’t sell off their rarer copies, and those who like having good cards that other people don’t have. Killjoys. Anyway, this deck brings us lots of good staple spells and traps, as well as some great monsters. I love having multiple copies of these cards, because it makes it so much easier to build extra decks.

Some other excellent monsters in this Structure Deck include the following.

Gemini Elf

I remember the days when if you had a Gemini Elf, you were somebody! And I had three of them! Okay, so the first ones that I had weren’t technically mine, but still, I got to use them in my deck. Hurray for me. Level 4 1900 ATK monsters with no drawback are easy to come by nowadays though, but let’s face it—these girls are a lot prettier than Insect Knight. You hear what I’m saying, so if you don’t need the specific attributes of the other 1900 ATK monsters, Gemini Elf is the way to go. And of course, it’s a great fit with the other Spellcaster types.

Breaker the Magical Warrior

This monster pops up in almost every deck, and has never been limited to Spellcasters. I remember when Breaker was really hard to get, but now it’s available for the masses. Its Spellcaster type, of course, fits in well with the Spellcaster-oriented cards in this deck, but really, just about everybody uses it. And why not? Breaker is a great card for almost any deck. It’s got a nice high ATK value once that counter is in place, and everyone can always use a bit of spell or trap removal.

Magician of Faith

Even though it’s been reduced to one copy per deck, and Scapegoat isn’t as rampant since the most recent Advanced format changes, Magician of Faith is still a staple card for most players. Here’s a chance to get a brace of Magicians for a good price! The ones you got from those starter decks are starting to wear out. Treat yourself, my friend. You deserve it!

Apprentice Magician

You’ll need something to get that lone Magician of Faith out at the crucial moment, right? Apprentice Magician’s also great for Hand of Nephthys, as well as decks that want more Spell counters. While I’m on the subject, if you’re playing with spell counters, please bring spell counters. Don’t scavenge the tournament table for nacho crumbs, pen lids, or damp bits of scrap paper, for everyone’s sake.

Tsukuyomi

Although it’s not as popular now without its trio of sidekicks (Thousand-Eyes Restrict, Thousand-Eyes Restrict, and Thousand-Eyes Restrict), Tsukuyomi is still played and worth playing. If you gave yours away before realizing how useful it could be and then had trouble getting another, here’s your chance! Don’t let it slip away!

Chaos Sorcerer

For those who still cling to Chaos, this is the current top replacement for You-Know-Who. If you need one, you can get it here, along with some Light and Dark monsters to fetch it out.

There are some great spells reprinted in Spellcaster’s Judgment, too.

Lightning Vortex

This was in the Warrior’s Triumph Structure Deck (along with that D. D. Warrior Lady), but in case you missed it, you can pick it up here. Or, you can get this deck and have two of them. Wonderful! If it’s not in a main deck, it’s nearly always in the side deck, so don’t be caught without it.

Mystical Space Typhoon

Everyone wants at least one. I know it’s in all of my decks. This is one card that you definitely want to have in multiples.

Heavy Storm

Wow, who doesn’t use these? Even with Giant Trunade seeing so much play, Heavy Storm still holds a solid slot in the game. The copy that you have is probably old and wrinkled, so this will work out great for you.

Premature Burial

Who says no to recursion? Not me! I say, “May I have more recursion, please,” especially now that so many people play Giant Trunade. The cost for Premature Burial is totally worth it, when you consider the amount of special summoning you can do with the cards in this deck.

Nobleman of Crossout

This is always a favorite, and nearly every deck runs a copy of this. I miss having three.

Swords of Revealing Light

I used to get mocked for running this spell, but look at it now! I’ve seen this card really gain in popularity as a defense against Aggro and a component in Burn.

Mage Power

You know, I always liked this card, and I haven’t been using it in ages. I should pick it up again. Synergy between spells, traps, and monsters is a much bigger part of the game than it used to be, so the chances are good that you’ll usually have some cards in your spell and trap zone. There’s some great stuff you can do with Mage Power, particularly in a Cyber Dragon-heavy environment.

And, of course, the traps! There’s a pair of my favorites here.

Call of the Haunted

One of the all-time classics! A great recursive card in nearly every deck type and one that’s seen on most decklists. It’s well worth having several in your deckbuilding stock. It’s free to use, and you can activate it during your opponent’s turn to really cause some trouble.

Magic Cylinder

This was all the rage when it came out, but it’s grown less popular now that we’ve got Sakuretsu Armor and Widespread Ruin. It’s still a good card, in my opinion, but then again, I like hoisting my opponent by his own petard. I think there may still be a player in the California area who’s bearing a grudge against me and my two Magic Cylinders from way back when. Anyway, it can help hold off a one-turn kill, if the opponent is foolhardy enough to attempt one without your spell and trap zone being cleared out, or an Aggro deck. I’ve always had a soft spot for Magic Cylinder, as long as it’s my Magic Cylinder.

There are a lot of great cards in this deck—not just the new ones, but the reprinted cards as well. Even if you’ve never run a straight Spellcaster deck, chances are good you’ve got some in the decks you’ve been playing, like Magician of Faith, Injection Fairy Lily, Breaker the Magical Warrior, or any of the Gravekeepers. There are bound to be new combos now open to you with the release of this Structure Deck, as well as a fresh supply of staple cards!

Players aren’t content with one big deck anymore, and we’ve seen that in the variety of decks that spring up at each Shonen Jump Championship. The new and the different are constantly cycling to the forefront of the game, and some of that success can be traced back to the increasing playability of these Structure Decks. Many players buy them, tweak them, and play them practically out of the box, while others harvest them for cards they’ve needed for other decks. But regardless, these things sell as much if not more to older, experienced duelists as they do to those starting out in the game. There’s truly something for everyone in here, so get ready join the crowd headed to the gaming store and pick up your copy! You’ll be sure to see these cards in tournament play in the months to come.