A new era of change is emerging. The new ban-list will be in effect within mere weeks and the newest set offers players the ability to expand many a new horizon. Water decks and apprentice search engines have new searchable targets that provide options along with defense. Wait until September and see how many players will be running phoenix/monarch (especially if Crush Card Virus hits our local Wal-Mart anytime soon). Even the set promo is playable outside of its intended deck. Spellcasters have another target to work with and a gyroid/Gellundo/Lava Golem burn set up, which will more than likely be abusing Marshmallon and Spirit Reaper, have another annoying monster to protect its players life points. Cyberdark Impact provides Cyberdarks another surprise to yield and Hunter Dragon gives players a reason to run a three star vanilla. Crystal Beast have finally found the Rainbow Dragon, venom monsters have produced a nomi unlike any other, and zombies can potentially crawl their way from the grave to table one. Normal monsters have finally received draw support (along with Chthonian Emperor Dragon!) while E-Hero decks now have access to four Pot of avarice (three of which provide three draws if you're really down on luck). This new set is (IMO) the most diverse and rewarding ever. It breaths a fresh breath of life into a stagnant metagame and provides creative duelist essential tools that actually do something. I must say that I am impressed.

Having gone to a local Sneak Peek I overheard many duelist talking about zombies. This is an archetype that has flourished when remove from game options were not viable. Once remove from game caught mainstream attention they vanished. Chaos Sorcerer, BLS, Bottomless Trap Hole, triple D.D. Assailant, D.D. Warrior Lady, etc. all marked the end of zombies. Then, just to keep the living-dead dead, Cyber Dragon hit the scene and Vampire Lord went to the trade binders where he had every intention of staying. I can say that with a strait face because today's metagame filled with Shrink, Brain Control, Soul Exchange, Raiza the Storm Monarch, and the like all make the evil keeper of the dead second hand trash. Zombies, having once been a splash-able and dominating powerhouse went from tier one to sideline. This new set offers them some powerful, game altering abilities. With this I recommend you take a look…

Deaths Prevalence

(42)

Monster (21)

Spell (16)

Trap (5)

This deck is obviously untested in tournament play due to the cards being currently illegal/not available, but I can assure you it will be something for us to watch for. The cool thing with Zombie master is that his discard effect provides players a way to swarm the field (relatively quickly) while also providing an outlet for huge in hand monsters. Il Blud also provides quick field swarm capabilities and grants players another reason to run big beats like Kokki. As mentioned, this deck is untested, but it does not take such testing for a player to recognize the massive amounts of untapped synergy present. Book of Life, Premature Burial, Zombie Master, Il Blud, etc. all provide ways to make the graveyard another tool. Card of Safe Return provides its player an extra draw. Pyramid Turtle/Giant Rat work to thin out the deck and set up huge swings in field presence while also acting as a tool to maintain field stability. This particular version is running Royal Decree because one can expect informed players to pack triple Bottomless Trap Hole and Wobaku. I personally believe Vampire Lord will be used as a zombie tech card. His 2000 attack points will make him vulnerable to Monarch/Machine. Plus, if he is main decked at three we can surely expect to see a rise in the use of Shrink and Rush Recklessly to prevent him from reviving. The other zombies effects are not worried about card counting, they are designed to crush face.

This zombie deck, and any incarnation thereof, will change the metagame. I believe monarchs will always be the traditional players choice while available in triplicate due to such a themes ability to utilize Crush Card Virus, Crystal Seer, and any other form of draw power. One can expect Banisher of the Radiance, Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, and D.D. Survivor to hit the scene again due to the future zombie decks dependence on the graveyard. Monarchs can deal with such a draw back. Then again Shield Crush will be available and it will force players to be aggressive. Monarch decks tend to take time to set up field presence. If zombies can beat them in two moves, time will obviously not be a usable factor in deck building.

The overall point I am making is that this new set has provided players a reason to get involved again. We do not know, with 100 percent accuracy, what the new ban list will provide. For all we know Brain Control and Il Blud will be restricted. But we currently have time to fantasize about a world that can be. I believe that since we have been given the time to do such an activity we should take full advantage of it and dream.

As always, if anyone wants to contact me for any reason I can be reached at…

Tebezu@gmail.com

I am still interested in trading for numerous cards. Currently I am looking for a play set of Crystal Seer, Zombie Master, Rainbow Dragon, Cyberdark Impact, Gellundo, and Il Blud. I am also interested in obtaining Holo Ryu Kokki, Spirit Reaper, Pyramid Turtle, Eradicator Epidemic Virus, that secret rare card that gives a player 3000 life points ( J ), the Venom King/Queen, shiny Nimble Momonga, and anything else shiny.