Let the games begin in Tactical Masters!
Written by Jonnii Small - Aug 22 2022
The next release in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game is Tactical Masters! Featuring 60 cards, 3 new archetypes and 15 Collector's Rares! On top of that we have reprints of some fantastic cards from Yu-Gi-Oh! history including Droll & Lock Bird and Cosmic Cyclone! The three archetypes making their debut in this set, Runick, Labrynth, and Vaylantz all bring something new to the table so let's take a look!
We begin with Vaylantz, a Pendulum-based deck focused on moving your cards to different zones horizontally and vertically. Shinonome the Vaylantz Priestess is one of main monsters in this archetype with the following effect:
Pendulum Effect: During your Main Phase: You can Special Summon this card to your Main Monster Zone in its same column, also you cannot Special Summon non-"Vaylantz" monsters for the rest of this turn, except from the Extra Deck. You can only use this effect of "Shinonome the Vaylantz Priestess" once per turn.
Monster Effect: During your Main Phase, if you control this Special Summoned card: You can add 1 "Vaylantz" Spell from your Deck to your hand. If this card in the Monster Zone moves to another Monster Zone: You can add 1 "Vaylantz" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Shinonome the Vaylantz Priestess". You can only use each effect of "Shinonome the Vaylantz Priestess" once per turn.
Shinome allows you to search for all of your Vaylantz pieces in order to swarm your deck with as many Pendulum monsters as you would like to, and get rid of your opponent's board in a pinch! Pretty neat!
Add 1 "Vaylantz" Field Spell from your Deck to your hand, then you can apply the following effect:
- Destroy 1 Pendulum Monster Card you control, and if you do, add 1 "Senet Switch" from your Deck to your hand.
If this card is in your GY, except the turn it was sent there: You can banish this card; place 1 face-up "Vaylantz" Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck in your Pendulum Zone. You can only use each effect of "Vaylantz Wars - The Place of Beginning" once per turn.
Vaylantz Wars - The Place of Beginning is a Spell Card that lets you search for one of the two archetypal Field Spells, and grab a Senet Switch too! Senet Switch is an old card from Cyberdark Impact that allows you to move a monster you control to an adjacent space, allowing you to fully utilize the Vaylantz effects.
Moving on to the Labrynth archetype of DARK Fiend monsters who are based around using Normal Trap cards to remove monsters on the field and activate their effects.
Your opponent cannot activate monster effects in response to the activation of your Normal Trap Cards. You can only use each of the following effects of "Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle" once per turn. You can target 1 Normal Trap in your GY; Set it to your field, but it cannot be activated unless you control a Fiend monster. If another monster(s) leaves the field by your Normal Trap effect (except during the Damage Step): You can destroy 1 card in your opponent's hand (at random) or their field.
Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle allows you to destroy monsters should another monster leave the field, and can also search, set, and protect your Trap cards whilst they are on the field! Lovely Labrynth is the prime example of this archetype, with other monsters having other effects once another monster leaves the field by your Normal Trap effect.
You can send 1 Normal Trap from your hand or that's Set on your field to the GY; Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Fiend monster from your Deck in Defense Position, except "Ariane the Labrynth Servant". If another monster(s) leaves the field by your Normal Trap effect (except during the Damage Step): You can draw 1 card, then you can apply this effect.
- From your hand, either Special Summon 1 Fiend monster, or Set 1 Spell/Trap.You can only use each effect of "Ariane the Labrynth Servant" once per turn.
Ariane can help build your combos, giving you the ability to search out your other Labrynth monsters and giving you some draw power too. With Welcome Labrynth being another card to help you begin, and also having the ability to Set itself from the GY, Labrynth could be one to watch!
And finally we meet the Runick archetype, a Quick Play Spell-based archetype with stunning artwork reminiscent of First Person Video Games. Runick Fountain is one of the Field Spells you'll use to play your Quick Play Spells on your opponent's turn, and give you a little bit of card recovery through its other ability.
You can activate "Runick" Quick-Play Spell Cards from your hand during your opponent's turn. Once per turn, if you activate a "Runick" Quick-Play Spell Card: You can target up to 3 "Runick" Quick-Play Spells in your GY; place them on the bottom of your Deck in any order, then draw the same number of cards.
Hugin the Runick Wings is one a few Fusion Monsters in the archetype, with all of the Extra Deck monsters providing a little protection and cycling of the cards in your deck.
If this card is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: You can discard 1 card; add 1 "Runick" Field Spell from your Deck to your hand. If another card(s) you control would be destroyed by card effect, you can banish this card you control instead. If this card on the field is destroyed by battle or card effect: Return this card to the Extra Deck.
With a few interesting features, the Runick archetype looks incredibly interesting and will be one to watch come game time! If you're looking to pick up Tactical Masters, be sure to pre-order your booster boxes or packs from us today!