Forced Back may become known as one of the best Counter Traps in the game.  Unfortunately, that won’t be considered a huge accomplishment as so few Counter Traps are played.  You have the overly specific Counter Traps that often only affect some rarely used part of the game or have a cost that is just too much for most players to risk.  So far, Solemn Judgment and Magic Drain are probably the most used: the former because it combos with decks that intentionally lower their own LP and the latter because one way or another one Spell card is rendered useless.  Forced Back has no cost and affects a very common part of the game: Normal Summons and Flip Summons.  Yes, many Monsters are Special Summoned in this game, but the Normal Summon and Flip Summon are still a common part of the game.  It negates said Summon and then returns the Monster to the opponent’s hand.  Needless to say, in the long run this is a “-1” in terms of card count.  Most of us will realize how valuable it is, though, since it may very well also mean a clear field, and of course it’s not like your opponent gets that Normal Summon back.  It is especially nice against Tribute Monsters, though, and mostly that means Monarchs.  Your opponent is out the Monster they used for Tribute and perhaps even more important, the effect they were counting on doesn’t materialize: Zaborg won’t get to nuke your Set Spirit Reaper, which would have let it and their Chaos Sorcerer attack directly.

 

In fact, that’s the main reason to run Forced Back over cards like Bottomless Trap Hole, which removes from play any kind of Summon that is 1500 ATK or more.  Bottomless Trap Hole tends to break even, at best, with the Monarchs, while Forced Back will break even, at least in the short run.

 

Personally, I like Forced Back just because it can meet the same need, largely as cards like Bottomless Trap Hole but it’s less likely to be a problem for the game, since you still have the Monster to try again later.  It’s nice when a card can be good in the current format without making it harder for the next format to be balanced.

 

Needless to say, it’s great for the recent “Counter Fairy” decks that have effects triggered by the successful use of Counter Traps.

 

Ratings

 

Traditional: 1/5 – Too much other removal.

 

Advanced:  - 3.5/5 – It may not always be the best card for the job, but it does do the job.