Hot off the heels of Maze of Millenia comes something interesting: with the last mini set introducing the almighty Bonfire, the new main line set (Phantom Nightmare) of the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG is sure to put this new spell card to the test alongside a whole plethora of Pyro monsters.
With support ranging from “Snake-Eyes” to “Raidraptor,” and new cards and archetypes being introduced, such as the “Ashened” line of cards, it’s going to be interesting how all these new cards shape up in the meta.
Now, with Yubel coming back after an impressive 16 years, the last time we saw them properly being in “Phantom Darkness,” let's get into how this set fairs out and get into the juicy details because I can’t wait to dive in!
Table of Contents
Yubel Archetype
Since Yubel is the centrepiece card, I thought I’d get straight into talking about them. Are these new cards going to be game changing? No, but they are going to be fun and will improve the Yubel game plan in a major way.
The archetype receives 7 new cards that expand its capabilities. Most notably, there’s the new fusion card, Yubel - The Loving Defender Forever, which can finally take advantage of Super Polymerization. Interestingly, in the lore, Yubel created Super Polymerization so it’s surprising that it’s taken this long for the archetype to actually make use of the card.
Another notable card from the set is the deck’s combo starter, Samsara Regenerating Lotus, which basically does everything for you. It lets you special summon a “Yubel” monster from the deck, forces your opponent to destroy “Yubel” (since that’s this decks whole shtick), and always returns from the grave as long as you have “Yubel” on the field.
All in all this is a great addition, and I, for one, will be picking up some of these cards to mess around with and torment my opponent.
Ashened Archetype
This brand new set of cards are the Ashened, and I gotta say, for a TGC exclusive (for now at least), these are some pretty cool cards indeed. Drawing inspiration from the Roman city of Pompaii and channelling some vibes from the “Dark Souls'' series, they are sure to make any Yu-Gi-Oh fan happy.
The strategy with these cards revolves around the field spell Obsidim, the Ashened City. By using Bonfire from the last set to search for Priestess of the Ashened City, you can essentially access every “Ashened” in your deck and flood the field with monsters.
Also, the big boss monster Veidos the Eruption Dragon of Extinction allows you to wipe out any field spell your opponent may have, denying them that area of the field. It can also destroy the board of all monsters as a last ditch effort to survive.
Currently, the archetype is limited since this is the first set of support, but I believe that with time and a couple more cards to bolster the deck out, these monsters can truly thrive.
Voiceless Voice Archetype
Another new set of cards for us in the west, Voiceless Voice, have been doing consistently well in the OCG, being one of the highest picked decks under Fire Kings in the tournament scene.
These cards make ritual monsters work, with Skull Guardian, Protector of the Voiceless Voice being the driving force behind this deck. The continuous spell and traps are the thing that keeps this holy train cooking by making sure that Skull Guardian never leaves the field without putting up one hell of a fight.
The deck has amazing consistency and is sure to entice any pro duelist looking to gain an edge on the competition, but we’ll see if it can overtake the top spot from Fire Kings.
Goblin Biker Archetype
The final new archetype introduced in Phantom Nightmare is Goblin Bikers. The perk of playing this deck is being able to summon rank 3 XYZ monsters with ease, with the game plan being to flood the field with as many Goblin monsters as possible.
Since all of the “Goblin Bikers” have effects that rely on detaching material to special summon themselves, it’s relatively easy to fill the field with monsters.
With this deck’s ability to interact with a bunch of pre-existing XYZ cards such as the “XYZ Armor” line, opponents will soon feel overwhelmed with how much summoning you can pull off with this deck. But look out for Nibiru, the Primal Being! With this card being a huge threat to the chaos that will ensue if you ride without caution.
Additions of Interest
Snake-Eyes Poplar (also known as Snake-Eyes Populus)
To be straight up with you, this card is a game changer for Snake-Eyes hybrid decks, such as the one seen with Fire Kings. When Poplar is normal summoned or special summoned, this little baby of a monster can kickstart your reign of terror by adding any “Snake-Eyes” spell card to your hand. Not only that, whenever it is added to the hand through other means then drawing it… Boom, it gets special summoned for free. How do you like them apples?
Since you get to add a spell to the hand from the “Snake-Eyes” line of cards, you can basically combo into Original Sinful Spoils - Snake-Eye to keep the pain coming and never stop the deadly assault.
This card is a real meta-changer and you are going to be seeing it used in so many high level decks. So get ready to feel the heat or join the party to stoke the flames.
Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames
This card is a fantastic generic Fire Link monster that melds very well into all of the meta Fire decks to date, as its main thing is locking you into playing said cards.
While on the field, it can special summon any Fire monster in the graveyard for free, and when it’s sent to the graveyard, if your opponent special summons a monster, it can destroy one of their monsters by sacrificing your own. Talk about feeling the heat! But not only that, when the effect goes through, you won't be leaving empty-handed since you can bring back Promethean Princess to the field to continue the blaze of battle!
I know when I get my hands on this card, it is going straight into any Fire deck I can find, and hope that my valiant readers do the same too!
Iron Thunder
This new card falls straight into the Solemn Judgment category as it’s a counter trap that requires you to pay half your life points to cause an effect to happen. That effect is to stop any activated spell/trap cards or monster effects and destroy whatever cards stand in its path by destroying whatever is in the column you placed it in.
Is it a good card? Yeah. But, it depends how you use it and if it fits into your playstyle. I find this card to be a brilliant addition to the family, and I wonder if we will be seeing it used in the future of the game.
Final Thoughts
With this new box of cards bringing in some much-needed spice to the meta, these freaky and feisty cards are sure to pack a punch with what you can bring to the table.
This set includes a bunch of rare cards to look out for, including the elusive Quarter Century Rare on a couple of select cards, with Magicians of Bonds and Unity being my absolute favourite.
If you're a collector or someone who likes to try their luck, make sure to snag yourself a couple of packs or even a box or two in-store or online today. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Yu-Gi-Oh with the second wave of the Rarity Collection on the horizon and a couple of new play accessories to celebrate the 25th Anniversary. There is a little something for everyone.
Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Phantom Nightmare Booster Box
£59.75
£69.99
Description Don’t close your eyes – Phantom Nightmare is lurking just around the corner! This 100-new-card set is loaded with astounding new cards that are the stuff your dreams are made of (and your opponent’s nightmares…). Unlock the terrifying secrets… read more
