The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG has gone through plenty of different eras and with each one, the game got more complex. Gone were the days of setting a monster face down and hoping your opponent would smack into it so you could activate a Flip Effect.
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The extra deck also reached new heights with the addition of powerful XYZ cards which used monsters as ammunition for their effects. This Summoning Mechanic turned out to be so flexible, that it changed deckbuilding forever with each player having their toolbox of cards for any occasion. So which sets made an impact during the era and the future?
8
Primal Origin
Banned Cards And Spooky Additions
Primal Origin had some very fun cards in the set, ranging from weak but entertaining to use against opponents and broken beyond belief. One iconic archetype to get the second half of its support in this set is the Ghostrick cards. These are not just goofy little haunted house monsters but have since become a staple of Halloween for the franchise.
Meanwhile, cards like Galaxy Tomahawk revealed just how much damage being able to spit out a bunch of Tokens could do for the metagame. One card that will likely never see the light of day again is Artifact Scythe since it can lock your opponent out of the Extra Deck.
7
Generation Force
The Power Of XYZ Monsters
Generation Force had the tough task of selling players on the concept of XYZ Summoning. While the options were still limited, there were some interesting cards introduced in this debut set for the Zexal era. One of these cards that helped players get into Rank fours easily is Goblindbergh. It soon became a staple for anyone wanting to use this new mechanic.
Meanwhile, some of the attractive XYZ monsters include Wind-Up Zenmaister, which could Book of Moon an opponent’s Monster. Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon was an excellent choice for those still using Cyber Dragons. One of the best cards is the generic Rank four, Steelswarm Roach, which offered a way for players to negate Special Summons up to two times.
6
Photon Shockwave
Dinosaurs Take The Crown
Photon Shockwave has plenty of good cards that because staples and new additions to the ban list for being broken. Kagetokage was an excellent way to get into a Rank four XYZ monster. Meanwhile, Rescue Rabbit helped Dinosaurs become powerful, sparking the age of Dinorabbit decks. This includes the use of Evolzar Dolkka and Laggia which became easy to make Dinosaur XYZ monsters.
One Day of Peace was so good, that it got banned for letting you draw cards while preventing your opponent from doing anything that can kill you during their turn. Photon Shockwave also had plenty of Galaxy-Eyes cards that formed a powerful new archetype which would later be expanded upon.
5
Abyss Rising
Game Enders And Cards With Plenty Of Mileage
Abyss Rising is a set so good it got a sequel in the form of Rage of The Abyss. This set introduced one of the mightiest archetypes under the Water banner known as the Mermails while also giving players more options for their XYZ toolboxes.
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One great generic XYZ monster to appear in this set is Gagaga Cowboy, which became the go-to monster to close out games. This set also introduced cards with plenty of longevity, such as Abyss Dweller, which would later become fantastic methods of locking your opponent out of the graveyard. This set had a bit of everything but, most importantly, it made the gameplay feel fresh and exciting.
4
Lord Of The Tachyon Galaxy
The Dragon Rulers Arrive
Lord of the Tachyon Galaxy is known for being a great set because it introduced one of the most useful and splashable archetypes. This archetype is known as the Dragon Lords. This includes Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind Dragons capable of spamming out Monsters.
These cards were game-changing due to the number of uses. They could Special Summon themselves by banishing cards, search out other Dragons with the same Attribute, and even prepare your graveyard. Most importantly, Dragon Rulers eventually come back to your hand after you successfully Summon them. This set can be considered an example of what cards would eventually become much later in the metagame.
3
Legacy Of The Valiant
Monster Thieves And Board Wipers
Legacy of The Valiant has a good mix of old archetypes getting new support, including the Gravekeepers and the Monarchs. It also introduced the first wave of Ghostricks. However, two XYZ monsters would become part of the Rank four toolbox for many players.
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These were Number 101: Silent Honor Ark and Evilswarm Exciton Knight. Rank 4s have always been the easiest to Summon, and these two offered plenty of value. Silent Honor Ark could steal a monster from your opponent, while Exciton Knight could perform a complete board wipe. Even Downerd Magician would become a powerful play for climbing Ranks using XYZ cards.
2
Order Of Chaos
Insects, Ninjas, And Magicians
Some Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG sets contain cards that you want to use to upgrade your deck. Meanwhile, others have that one high-rarity chase card that everyone wants. This set includes Inzektors and Ninjas with many of their necessary components just waiting to be pulled.
Inzektors and Ninjas would become powerful decks, however, cards like Tour Bus From The Underworld would be the perfect extension to the already existing Tour Guide From The Underworld. Let’s also not forget that this set also gave players access to Zexal’s Dark Magician Girl equivalent in the form of Gagaga Girl. This card made it easier to get the numbers right for an XYZ Summon.
1
Return Of The Duelist
Fan Favorite Monster Types Get An Upgrade
Return of the Duelist has some great card diversity, but it also fits the needs of those who specifically love playing Machines. With more archetypes getting their searchers, Gear Gigant X provided a way for Machine decks to search out Monsters.
This set also introduced players to the first wave of Madolche cards, which are iconic for being based on sweets and being nearly impossible to deck out. Meanwhile, the card on the box art could come in handy as a Rank four XYZ Warrior. Being able to suddenly double its attack to 4000 could beat over most monsters but also close the game if your opponent’s life points were low enough.
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