Continuing with previous articles that anylized popular deck themes, today we’ll be looking at archetypes that feature lockdown elements. Lockdown refers to a board control approach that tries to limit the actions an opponent can take by restriciting his or her ability to attack, play spell cards, summon monsters, and so forth. Once the duelist has the opponent backed into a corner, the secondary deck strategy kicks in. It might involve targeting the opponent’s life points with direct damage, attacking with monsters that slide under the lock, or removing the opponent’s cards to win by decking.
So, what exactly is Lockdown? Basically, the classic Lockdown goal is to block the opponent’s ability to attack. Spell and trap cards immobilize monsters, and then protective cards keep them on the field. Here is the basic engine:
Spell and trap cards:
• Gravity Bind
• Messenger of Peace
• Solemn Judgment
• Spell Shield Type-8
Also seen, but less common:
• Level Limit – Area B
• Swords of Revealing Light
There are a few different types of decks that utilize Lockdown. Let’s take a look at them, learn what they do, and explore the different strategies that revolve around the Lockdown engine. As you read through each section, be sure to note how the various cards interact with the common Lockdown core.
Burn (or Burner) Decks
This type of deck is designed to deal direct, unblockable damage to an opponent. Such decks occasionally rely on speed, but Lockdown is typically used to keep the opponent helpless while his or her life points slowly get whittled away. There are quite a few monster cards that allow you to attack your opponent’s life points directly. Others have effects that do additional damage. Spell and trap cards that deal damage to the opponent see a lot of play in this style of deck.
Spell and trap cards in Burn decks:
• Core spell and trap cards (remember to check the new forbidden list!)
• Lockdown engine cards
• Ceasefire
• Dark Snake Syndrome
• Ring of Destruction
• Chain Energy
• Wave-Motion Cannon
• Magic Cylinder
• Secret Barrel
• Just Desserts
Less common, but also useable:
• Toll
• Tower of Babel
• Tremendous Fire
Monster cards in Burn decks:
• Servant of Catabolism
• Des Koala
• Balloon Lizard
• Stealth Bird
• Cannon Soldier
• Lava Golem
The point of the deck is to establish the lock and protect it while dealing direct damage to your opponent with either monster, spell, or trap cards. This deck is fairly easy to play, which makes it a good choice for duelists who would like to experiment with Lockdown.
Mill Decks
Mill is a term used to describe decks that strip the opponent of cards, causing him or her to lose by decking. Cards that force discard from the hand, remove monsters from play, or otherwise clear the field see a lot of use in mill decks. The basic Lockdown engine leaves your opponent unable to defend against the mill or reduce your life points to 0 in time.
Spell and trap cards in Mill decks:
• Core spell and trap cards
• Lockdown engine cards
• Book of Moon
• Book of Taiyou
• The Shallow Grave
• Card Destruction
Less common, but also used:
• Desert Sunlight
• Inferno Tempest
• Soul-Absorbing Bone Tower
• Soul Release
Monster cards in Mill decks:
• Cyber Jar 
• Morphing Jar
• Morphing Jar #2
• Don Zaloog
• Needle Worm
• Spirit Reaper
• Tsukuyomi
• Spear Cretin
Less common, but also used:
• Hiro’s Shadow Scout
• Night Assailant
The most effective Mill decks keep reusing Needle Worm. Book of Moon, Book of Taiyou, and Desert Sunlight all allow for face-up/face-down position shifts. Spear Cretin brings destroyed Needle Worms back to the field and also provides some protection as a wall, and Tsukuyomi’s effect gets Needle Worms back into face-down position. Once Needle Worm starts triggering repeatedly, your opponent has a tough battle to win before he or she runs out of cards.
Lockdown Clown
Lockdown Clown is one of the earliest deck types, but it’s become a lot more playable with the addition of some recent cards . This deck uses the Lockdown engine to protect the low-ATK Clown cards so that they can make full use of their effects (switching monster positions, returning monsters to the hand, and destroying monsters on the field) while living to fight another day. Attackers that can go under the lock pick off the opponent’s monsters remaining on the field before going after life points for the win.
Spell and trap cards in Lockdown Clown decks:
• Core spell and trap cards
• Lockdown Engine cards
• Reinforcement of the Army
• Mage Power
• Axe of Despair
• Fusion Sword Murasame Blade
• Painful Choice
• Ceasefire
Monster cards in Lockdown Clown decks:
• Dream Clown
• Crass Clown
• Peten the Dark Clown
• Ryu-Kishin Clown
• Injection Fairy Lily
• Mystic Tomato
• Mataza the Zapper
• Marauding Captain
The deck is fairly straighforward¾establish the lock and then get Clowns into play with or without equip cards to boost their ATK. Injection Fairy Lily packs a powerful attack that goes under Gravity Bind, and Marauding Captain can get Mataza the Zapper or Dream Clown into play quickly. Peten the Dark Clown and Mystic Tomato both thin the deck and keep monsters on the field (particularly effect monsters, which gives Ceasefire an extra boost). This style of deck is a good introduction to Lockdown.
A Legendary Lockdown
Like the Water decks we looked at in a previous article, A Legendary Lockdown exploits A Legendary Ocean’s level reduction effect, allowing level 4 monsters to scoot under the Gravity Bind lock and tear up the opponent’s field.
Spell and trap cards in A Legendary Lockdown deck:
• Core spell and trap cards
• Lockdown engine cards
• A Legendary Ocean
Less common, but also used:
• Tornado Wall
Monster cards in A Legendary Lockdown deck:
• Gagagigo
• Mermaid Knight
• Mother Grizzly
• Maryokutai
• Tribe-Infecting Virus
A nice, matter of fact deck. Get A Legendary Ocean into play, establish the lockdown, and start destroying the opponent’s monsters. Mermaid Knight can attack twice, and Mother Grizzly will get out Maryokutai. This affords extra protection for A Legendary Ocean and also thins the deck. Tribe-Infecting Virus also helps to clear the field, giving you a clean shot at your opponent’s life points.
Total Control Lockdown
This is a newer Lockdown strategy that utilizes cards released in more recent sets. It’s designed to drive the opponent crazy by keeping them from doing anything while you go after life points or cards. It works alongside the basic Lockdown engine, but adds in Ojama Trio and Spatial Collapse. Ojama Trio locks up monster zones, and Spatial Collapse restricts the field even further. This style of lock works best with a burn approach, so you’ll often see cards like Stealth Bird and Wave-Motion Cannon included in the deck, but it can also be used to deck an opponent. One surprising and inventive variation of this deck is an all-trap card deck, which relies mostly on direct damage. It’s not always reliable for a win, but it is an excellent exercise in deckbuilding and thinking on one’s feet.
Spell and trap cards in Total Control Lockdown decks:
• Core spell and trap cards
• Lockdown spell and trap cards
• Ojama Trio
• Spatial Collapse
• Ceasefire
• Wave-Motion Cannon
• Offerings to the Doomed
Less common, but useable:
• Scapegoat
• Token Thanksgiving
Monster cards in Total Control Lockdown decks:
• Stealth Bird
• Des Koala
• Mystic Tomato
• D. D. Warrior Lady
• Shining Angel
• Peten the Dark Clown
• Nimble Momonga
The goal of this deck is to use Ojama Trio to clog up the opponent’s monster card zones. Destroying one Ojama Token enables you to play another Ojama Trio and fill all monster card zones. Activating Spatial Collapse then essentially locks the opponent down, making him or her unable to do anything at all. Token Thanksgiving can deal damage to the opponent while increasing your life points. Monsters that bring other monsters to the field when they’re destroyed both thin the deck and speed it along.
The introduction of the new Advanced format, which removes several previously “key’”cards from the game, makes Lockdown decks a lot more formidable by limiting the number of effective spell and trap removal cards. Certain styles of Lockdown decks can be built with a minimum of rares and are relatively easy to play, making them a good choice for duelists who want an efficient, victorious deck. There are many other card combos that work in Lockdown decks, so why are you still sitting there? Pull out your card collection and start reading! The basic engine cards aren’t generally hard to get, so once you’ve acquired those, start experimenting with different Lockdown ideas and see how they work for you.
Next week, we’ll wrap up the archetype series by taking a look at decks designed around specific win conditions. Until then, experiment with Lockdown and see how well it performs in your area, and don’t forget to check back for an examination of a new series of decks.