Yu-Gi-Oh! The 10 Best Floodgates, Ranked

There have been many Floodgates throughout Yu-Gi-Oh!'s history, with some being the most powerful cards in the entire game.

In the game of Yu-Gi-Oh! there are many cards that have entered into the card pool with all sorts of effects. Some of these are best used with combo decks, while others act best in control-oriented playstyles. One of the strongest types of cards in Yu-Gi-Oh!'s control catalog are Floodgates.

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Floodgate is an unofficial term given to cards with lingering effects that affect both players. Often times these effects are restrictive, causing the game to come to a slow halt until they are removed from the Field. There have been many Floodgates throughout Yu-Gi-Oh!'s history, with some being the most powerful cards in the entire game.

10. Rivalry Of Warlords

"Rivalry Of Warlords" is a Continous Trap Card that causes the effect of both players only being able to control one type of Monster. This means that either player can not Summon, or attempt to Summon a Monster that is a different Type from a Monster on the player's side of the Field.

While plenty of Archetypes have Monsters that are the same Type, "Rivalry Of Warlords" is best used in Zombie Decks due to access to "Zombie World." Since "Zombie World" changes all Monsters into the Zombie-Type, unless the opponent is playing a Zombie Deck they will be locked out of Summoning Monsters entirely.

9. Royal Decree

"Royal Decree" is a very useful Trap Card that counters other Trap Cards. "Royal Decree" is a Continous Trap that negates all other Trap effects on the Field. This can completely shut down Decks that heavily rely on Trap Cards. "Royal Decree" shuts out 1/3 of the game mechanics, which is what makes it so good.

Some Trap-based Decks can even play it, most notably "Altergiest" since "Altergiest Protocol" will prevent their cards from being negated by "Royal Decree's" effect. Decks that don't play Trap Cards at all can even use it to shut down their opponent's Trap-heavy Deck.

8. Macro Cosmos

While "Dimensional Fissure" shares an incredibly similar effect, "Macro Cosmos" is a better version of it due to its ability to surprise the opponent on their Turn. "Macro Cosmos" will cause any card that is sent to the Graveyard to be Banished instead.

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This can completely halt strategies that are heavily reliant on getting their cards into the Graveyard. In addition, it can even be a benefit to some Decks, most notably "Thunder Dragons." Since it is a Trap Card, it can be activated during the opponent's Turn to interrupt their combos and potentially dismantle their gameplan with just one activation.

7. El Shaddoll Winda

"El Shaddoll Winda" is an incredibly easy Fusion Monster to Summon. Thanks to its Level being 5, it can be Summoned with "Instant Fusion." The downside of "Instant Fusion" can even be played around with cards like "Salamangreat Almiraj." "El Shaddoll Winda" prevents both players from being able to Special Summon more than once per Turn.

This is especially useful with "Nibiru The Primal Being" in the game, as it prevents it from activating since it Special Summons two Monsters. "El Shaddoll Winda" can be used at the end of the player's Turn, meaning they don't have to worry about the downside affecting them since they would already have an established board.

6. Inspector Boarder

What has perhaps one of the most confusing card texts in all of Yu-Gi-Oh!, "Inspector Boarder" is also a staple Monster in all Stun Decks. It's a 2000 Attack Monster with an incredibly powerful effect. While it is on the Field, Monster Effects can not be activated unless a Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Pendulum, Link, or Ritual Monster is on the Field.

Each separate Type allows for one extra Monster Effect to be activated. This means if a Fusion and Synchro is on the Field, 2 Monster Effects can be activated but no more. This is an incredibly powerful effect that can prevent the opponent from even playing the game.

5. Skill Drain

"Skill Drain" is a Floodgate so powerful that it is currently Limited to 1 copy per Deck. At the small cost of 1000 Life Points, "Skill Drain" is a Continous Trap Card that negates the effects of all Face-Up Monsters.

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Yu-Gi-Oh! is all about Monster Effects in the current metagame, meaning that "Skill Drain" can easily shut down a turn, and sometimes the entire game. Since a lot of Decks use Monsters as Spell and Trap card removal, this makes "Skill Drain" especially hard to get rid of. The only downside to "Skill Drain" is that it negates effects, but not activations meaning if the activation sets up plays by using costs the opponent can play through it.

4. Summon Limit

"Summon Limit" is exactly what it sounds like, as it will prevent each player from Summoning more than twice per tern. It has an added bonus of counting negated Summons, meaning that when played with cards like "Solemn Judgement," the opponent is reduced down to only 1 Summon.

While it is fantastic in Control Decks as they don't play many Monsters, Combo Decks can use it as well. Since it is a Trap Card, it can be Set after the player does their combo, and activated during the opponent's Turn after they have an established board.

3. There Can Be Only One

"There Can Be Only One" is the best Floodgate when it comes to locking players into certain Types. "There Can Be Only One" forces both opponents to control no more than 1 Monster of Each Type. Since so many Decks have Monsters that share the same Type, this means the Deck more often than not can't play.

The card prevents players from Summoning another Monster of the same Type, as well as attempting to Summon, meaning it can't be Linked or Tribute it away very easily. It doesn't hit every Deck, but it hits almost all the relevant ones that aren't Control-oriented.

2. Mystic Mine

The newest powerful Floodgate comes to the game in "Mystic Mine." This is an insanely strong Field Spell that prevents the player with the most Monsters on the Field from activating Monster Effects or attacking. It is destroyed if the number of Monsters is ever even during the End Phase.

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Mystic Mine is such a powerful Floodgate, entire Decks can be built around it with how oppressive it can be. "Mystic Mine" can even be used in Combo Decks, as it can be activated to put a pause on the gamestate until the combo pieces are drawn.

1. Imperial Order

Another card that's Limited, "Imperial Order" is both one of the oldest Floodgates as well as the best. "Imperial Order" negates all Spell card effects on the Field. This means that any Spell is useless while the Floodgate is up on the Field. "Imperial Order" is much better than its Trap counterpart "Royal Decree" since Spell cards are played in practically every Deck, unlike Traps.

So many Decks rely on their Spell cards, and the ability to completely take them out of the equation makes "Imperial Order" the best Floodgate in all of Yu-Gi-Oh!

Source: thegamer.com