Introduction

With the new Master Rule Revision coming in April, duelists can once again summon Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz monsters to the Main Monster Zones without using Link arrows. This means that many decks that relied on these monster types in the past are now free to play unhindered. Many decks fall under this category, but some decks benefit more from the revision than others. Some decks’ strategies suffered particularly in the Link era and struggled to adapt. Others received great support during the Link era, but are only now able to use it to its fullest potential. Still others already see meta play, but could see an even greater rise in power. Here are a few examples of decks whose pilots will be celebrating a bit louder than the others in April.

Number 5: Junk/Synchron

Synchro Summoning arguably suffered the worst from MR4. Dedicated Synchro decks focused on summoning many Synchro monsters to accrue advantage and end on several large bosses like Shooting Quasar Dragon. However, MR4 severely limited the number of times they could Synchro Summon, making their combos much harder. To make matters worse, the Link monster supposed to help them, Crystron Needlefiber, was never imported to the TCG. But with the Master Rule revised, Needlefiber finally arriving (officially translated as Crystron Halqifibrax), and the Junk Speeder appearing with an amazing effect, Synchro decks can not only return to their previous level, but even push past and discover brand new ways to play.

Number 4: HEROes

Long ago, these iconic crime-fighters patrolled the rogue scene with Masked HERO Dark Law at the helm. Occasionally, Toadally Awesome would make a cameo as well. Some even used a HERO engine to power the great Ultimaya Tzolkin. But after MR4, it became harder to build those boards. Then HEROes got new support like Fusion Destiny, Vision HERO Faris, and Xtra HERO Cross Crusader. They started adapting to the Link format and even saw brief rogue success again with potent OTK strategies. The new Master Rule could allow them to pair this new offensive power with their old control components. Perhaps this could allow them to really secure a place in the meta again.

Number 3: D/D/D

This archetype is famous for the complexity of its combos. It is one of the few that uses Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum monsters, all with roughly equal ease and significance. However, MR4 greatly crippled all of those strategies at once. While they did get a Link monster to help them, the deck was a shadow of its former self. However, with the Link rules revised the deck can go back to churning out their Extra Deck bosses. They can either beat down the opponent with removal and high attack, or control the pace of play with cards like D/D/D Cursed King Siegfried or D/D/D Oracle King d/Arc.

Number 2: Lunalight

Lunalights got many great Main Deck support cards too late for it to enjoy success in the pre-Link era. In the Link era, however, it recently gained popularity as a partner to Orcusts. It was helped in part by new additions, such as Lunalight Kaleido Chick and Lunalight Yellow Marten. These small monsters allowed for abundant summons and resulted in big boards. With the new Master Rule, the deck is prime to unleash its strengths in Fusion OTKs (with cards like Lunalight Leo Dancer). It can also lean into Rank 4 turbo, bringing cards like Abyss Dweller and Tornado Dragon back into prevalence.

Number 1: Thunder Dragon

Like Lunalights, Thunder Dragons already have a strong meta presence. They have access to powerful archetypal Fusion bosses, like Thunder Dragon Colossus, which locks out searching, and Thunder Dragon Titan, which pops cards on the field. Both monster has built-in destruction protection, making them problematic for any opponent. In addition, they also have access to powerful generic Extra Deck dragons. Borreload Savage Dragon and Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon are two powerful negation bosses that prevent the opponent’s plays.

While Thunder was already a threat, in the Link era players needed careful Link manipulation to make the most of these monsters. Now the new Master Rule will make summoning these beasts even easier as you can abandon Links entirely and flood the board with huge Thunder Dragon fusions.

Conclusion

With so many decks now able to function more freely, the overwhelmingly positive reaction to MR5 comes as no surprise. With new rules and new cards coming in, the game looks ready for a great shift, both at the casual and competitive level. What deck will break the chains of the past and grab its share of glory? For now, only time will tell. If you’re a fan of any of the decks listed above, it might be wise to dust off your old cards and buy their new support while you can. Something tells me they’ll be high in demand this summer.