Skip to content
Yu-Gi-Oh! The 10 Best Side Deck Cards In The Game, Ranked

Yu-Gi-Oh! The 10 Best Side Deck Cards In The Game, Ranked

The Side Deck is one of the most important parts of deck building in Yu-Gi-Oh! Don't let it fall to the wayside.

The Side Deck in Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of the most critical features when it comes to the game. The Side Deck is home to 15 cards from outside of your Main Deck that you can use to replace cards inside of it in between games.

RELATED:  Yu-Gi-Oh: 10 Most Powerful Unbanned Cards In The Game

This means the Side Deck is one of the most important aspects of the Deck building process. The Side Deck is generally widely different based on what the current meta is. However, some Side Decks cards are so good, they'll almost always be relevant. The ability to control if the player is going first or second can be big swings in games 2 and 3.

10. The Winged Dragon Of Ra – Sphere Mode

Yugioh winged dragon of ra sphere mode art and text

What is the best God Card by a wide margin, The Winged Dragon Of Ra – Sphere Mode is one of the best ways to guarantee the opponent's Field is dismantled. While awful against Control Decks, this is why it's such a good card to keep in the Side Deck to put in when up against Combo Decks that end up on big boards. The Winged Dragon Of Ra – Sphere Mode will Tribute 3 Monsters at the cost of losing the Normal Summon. Tributing Monsters is the best form of removal, as it gets around any kind of protection a Monster may have.

9. Anti-Spell Fragrance

Yugioh anti spell fragrence art and text

Anti-Spell Fragrance is the anti-Pendulum card. Anti-Spell Fragrance requires Spell cards to be Set for a turn before using them. Not only does this hinder many Decks, as many of them rely heavily on Spell cards, it completely prevents Pendulum Monsters from being placed on the Scales.

RELATED: 10 Best Normal Monsters In Yu-Gi-Oh

Since Pendulums can't be Set, this means they are only usable as Monsters. While being good on its own, the fact Anti-Spell Fragrance can shut down an entire mechanic permanently while on the Field is what makes it such a fantastic Side Deck choice.

8. Summon Limit

Yugioh Summon Limit

Summon Limit is a fantastic card that prevents either player from Summoning more than twice per turn, and negated Summons are counted towards that limit. Summon Limit is better left in the Side Deck since it has little use going first and against Control Decks. However, when the player can guarantee they go first, Summon Limit more often than not can completely shut down the opponent's turn, which can then guarantee a win on the next turn. While it does affect its controller, Summon Limit isn't going to be activated until a board is already established, so they would not care for its effect.

7. Artifact Lancea

Yugioh artifact lancea art and text

Artifact Lancea, depending on the meta, is one of the best Side Deck options out there. During the opponent's turn, the player can Tribute it from their Hand or Face-Up Field and will prevent either play from being able to Banish cards that turn. Artifact Lancea is so powerful in the Side Deck because some Decks such as Orcust and Thunder Dragons heavily rely on Banishing for their Deck to function. In a pinch, it can even be used against a card like Evenly Matched, negating it and causing the opponent to lose their Battle Phase in the process.

6. Super Polymerization

Yugioh super polymerization art and text

Super Polymerization is one of, if not, the strongest Fusion Spell in the game. At the cost of discarding 1 card, Super Polymerization can fuse Monsters from either Field together as Fusion Materials. It also cannot be responded to by any cards.

RELATED: 10 Most Powerful Yu-Gi-Oh Monsters (In Terms Of Attack)

This is great for getting rid of Monsters on the opponent's Field, as most often the Fusion Materials will be taken exclusively from there. Mixed with cards like Mudragon Of The Swamp or Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, the player will be able to get a strong Monster out of the exchange.

5. Red Reboot

Yugioh red reboot art and effect

Red Reboot is one of the strongest answers to Trap Cards in the entire game. When activated, it can negate a Trap Card at the cost of the opponent being able to Set another Trap Card from their Deck. The Tradeoff for this is the opponent will not be able to activate any other Trap Cards for the rest of the turn. This makes Red Reboot great, but what makes it fantastic is it can be activated from the Hand at the cost of half of the player's Life Points.

4. Nibiru, The Primal Being

Yugioh nibiru the primal being art and text

Nibiru, The Primal Being is one of the strongest counters to Combo Decks. If the opponent Summons five or more Monsters during their turn, Nibiru, The Primal Being can be activated, causing all the Monsters on the Field to be Tributed. This gives the opponent a Token with Attack and Defense equal to the combined stats of all Tributed Monsters. This also leaves its user with Nibiru, The Primal Being on the Field, a powerful 3000 Attack Monster. If timed right, Nibiru, The Primal Being can shut down the opponent's turn, leaving them with nothing but a Token.

3. Evenly Matched

Yugioh evenly matched art and text

Evenly Matched has the most powerful Field Wiping ability in all of Yu-Gi-Oh! At the end of the Battle Phase, Evenly Matched forces the opponent to Banish cards from their Field Facedown, until they control the same amount of cards.

RELATED: Yu-Gi-Oh! The 10 Best Trap Hole Cards, Ranked

If no cards are controlled, Evenly Matched can be activated from the Hand, which can leave the opponent with only one card on the Field. The tradeoff of losing the Battle Phase is more than worth it when the opponent's Field can be permanently taken care of. Its biggest weakness is when going first. It isn't going to do a whole lot, which is why it's a staple Side Deck card.

2. Dark Ruler No More

Yugioh dark ruler no more art and text

Dark Ruler No More is the strongest full board negate in the game. It will negate the effects of all face-up Monsters on the Field, and no Monsters can respond to its activation, only Spell and Trap Cards. The tradeoff to this is the opponent will take no damage for that turn. Odds are, they've used most of their resources making the board, so after taking care of the Monsters, they'll be hard-pressed to recover. Dark Ruler No More is the strongest going second card against Combo Decks, which is why every Side Deck should have copies of it.

1. Lightning Storm

Yugioh lightning storm art and text

Lightning Storm is an incredibly powerful going second card, and one that is good against both Combo and Control Decks. So long as its user has no face-up cards on the Field, Lightning Storm can either destroy all Spell and Trap Cards or all Attack Position Monsters the opponent controls. This makes Lightning Storm incredibly versatile. Not limited by being only good against certain Decks, a wipe of backrow cards or Monsters will rarely ever not be useful. Since there won't be anything on the Field going first, Lighting Storm is best used in the Side Deck. It can completely dismantle boards going second, especially when combined with other cards such as Dark Ruler No More.

Source: thegamer.com

Previous article Yu-Gi-Oh!: 10 Older Archetypes That Still Need Support

Leave a comment

Comments must be approved before appearing

* Required fields