A Look Ahead

A Look Ahead Into the Next Format with Judgment of the Light

August 2013 will forever be remembered in the world of Yu-Gi-Oh because in this month, there are 4 major events that happened. First, North America came very close to winning it’s very first World Championship. Second, Judgment of the Light was released and included a variety of interesting cards worth buying for next format. Next, the OCG and TCG released separate Forbidden and Limited lists which were each groundbreaking in their own way. Finally, the new Blaster and Tidal tins are on the verge of hitting the TCG world and potentially becoming the best selling tins of all time.

Let’s look at the F&L list and analyze how the meta will be impacted for September:

NEWLY FORBIDDEN

Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks
Elemental Hero Stratos
Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts
Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles
Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets
Number 16: Shock Master
Card Destruction
Gateway of the Six
Heavy Storm
Monster Reborn
Pot of Avarice
Spellbook of Judgment
Super Rejuvenation
Solemn Judgment
Ultimate Offering

LIMITED

Atlantean Dragoons
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Spirit
Deep Sea Diva
Genex Ally Birdman
Rescue Rabbit
Thunder King Rai-O
Evigishki Mind Augus
Dewloren
Tiger King of the Ice Barrier
Constellar Ptolemy M7
Dimensional Fissure
Gold Sarcophagus
Royal Tribute
Bottomless Trap Hole
Compulsory Evacuation Device
Eradicator Epidemic Virus
Macro Cosmos
Soul Drain
Torrential Tribute

NEWLY SEMI-LIMITED

Mezuki
Plaguespreader Zombie
T.G. Striker
Fire Formation – Tenki
Dimensional Prison

NEWLY UNLIMITED

Destiny Hero – Malicious
The Agent of Mystery – Earth
Tsukuyomi
A Hero Lives
Black Whirlwind
E – Emergency Call
Hieratic Seal of Convocation
Pot of Duality
Scapegoat

For the sake of brevity, I will not analyze the upcoming meta with this article, but I’ll discuss which decks are viable next format, and which cards from Judgment of the Light can help bolster these decks.

Agent decks become a strong contender this format now that TG Striker and Agent of Mystery Earth are at 2 and 3 respectively. Angel of Zera combos very nicely with Hyperion for some very powerful plays. By banishing Angel of Zera for the Effect of Master Hyperion, you then special summon Angel of Zera during your next standby phase. Moreover, Transmodify further bolsters the deck. You can summon Earth and search an Agent monster, and then use Transmodify on Earth to special summon Venus. Herald of Pure Light is an excellent addition to Agents, as you can follow up your play by turning your Venus into a field of Venus + Gachi Gachi + Herald of Pure Light.

Needless to say, Infernities get bolstered by the addition of Transmodify. This single card is responsible for making Infernity potentially the best deck for the upcoming format. Infernity did not escape the F&L unscathed, however, as they lost Shock Master from their ranks. I would not worry too much however, as Transmodify allows you to set up a nearly unbreacheable field.

Another deck which benefits from Transmodify is Blackwing. With Black Whirlwind and Pot of Duality back at 3, Blackwing is certainly a viable deck. Many people will be playing this deck for the upcoming YCS Toronto and, naturally, getting the edge in the mirror match is crucial. Using Transmodify on any level 4 Blackwing will get you a Sirocco, which can potentially give you game in the mirror if you can resolve it’s effect.

Although Dragon Rulers lost many of their key cards, many players are reviving them by incorporating the Plant engine into the deck. The welcome addition of Debris Dragon allows Dragon Ruler to go into the dominant card that is Star Eater. Very hard to get over by battle, and it’s immunity to many of the games spell and trap cards makes this card very powerful heading into YCS Tornto.

Another deck which is set to make an impact in undoubtedly Bujin. Although they lost a Tenki to the F&L list, this brand new archetype is capable of controlling the flow of a game unlike few other decks out there. Watch out for Bujin Susanowo and Bujin Yamato and their powerful combos with Black Garden.

Spellbook decks can welcome the addition of the powerful World of Prophecy. If you believed that Spellbook didn’t need another powerful card, imagine what they can accomplish with this Judgment Dragon-like card. Watch out for Spellbook to make an impact on the meta game again in Toronto.

Surely, the addition of Fire-Fist Rooster will make 3-Axis Fire Fist a solid deck, however, with the semi-limitation of Tenki and the limitation of Spirit, 3-Axis decks will get creative to remain a competitive deck. Although less explosive, 4-Axis Fire Fist welcomes the addition of Wolfberk to their ranks. With Rescue Rabbit now at 1, a greater emphasis on Wolfberk makes 4-Axis Fire Fist a solid deck for the upcoming format.

There are certainly many cards in the new Judgment of Light set that are worth looking at, and this article barely touches on all the new cards from the set that have an impact on the meta. I leave it to you, the players, to use the new cards from the upcoming set and make this format an unforgettable one.