Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel has been out for a bit now, and we’ve now had a chance to really get a good glimpse at the game’s meta. There are many different archetypes and builds in Master Duel, but some stand out more than others. Some of that is due to accessibility, as well as the fact that there are just a few archetypes that are very good. So, what decks make up the top meta builds right now? Let’s take a look.
Swordsoul
Arguably the biggest addition to Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel over the past few months was the Swordsoul archetype. This archetype revolves around Swordsoul Wyrm Monsters, but also utilizes the Tenyi cards to create a strong and powerful board. Synchro Monsters like Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixlao, Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign – Chengying and Baronne de Fleur make life very difficult for opposing decks, especially when going first. These decks will usually be the ones that are most commonly found in ranked online play, and for good reason.
Tri-Brigade
Tri-Brigade builds will vary, depending on the player. Regardless of which kind is used, however, these decks can be quite problematic. Shuraig, the Ominous Omen can blow up a well-fortified board, and can even be summoned during the opponent’s turn thanks to Tri-Brigade Revolt. Plus, this deck can also make use of Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer and Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder with Zoodiacs, making it a powerful option when going either first, or second.
Sky Striker
Sky Strikers fell off a bit after the first weeks in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel, but have picked up steam thanks to the addition of Destiny HERO -Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. This deck was missing a key piece that could reliably blow up opposing players’ hand, and DPE seemed to be the missing piece. It, along with Sky Striker cards that add draw power, negate, and blow up opposing boards makes this archetype quite a tough out.
Related: How to get CP-UR and CP-SR points in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
Eldlich
Eldlich decks were an early force in the Master Duel metagame, but become much less seen after players began preparing for the deck. Harpie’s Feather Duster and Lightning Storm took an axe to Eldlich, but a new card has made this archetype a force yet again. Lord of the Heavenly Prison enables Eldlich players to protect Set Spells and Traps, making it much easier to protect Eldlixir of Scarlet Sanguine, Golden Lord Traps, and floodgates like Skill Drain and Summon Limit. Conquistador of the Golden Lord might have been limited to one copy as of May 2022, but it seems that Eldlich has only gotten stronger since then.
Adamancipator
Adamancipator decks in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel have become rather infamous in the game, but its power can’t be denied. This combo-heavy deck relies very much on constant Special Summons, and its access to cards like Block Dragon, Gigantes, Doki Doki, and Prank-Kids Rockies makes the party seem to never end. Adamanicipators love to go first, thanks to its preference to set numerous floodgates like Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess and Borreload Savage Dragon, as well as Adamancipator Risen – Dragite on Turn 1. But, its numerous plays and combos does make it a significant threat come Turn 2, as well.
Other meta archetypes
The four mentioned above are the ones that will be seen very frequently in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. There are, however, other decks that need to be watched out for. Here’s a look at other meta archetypes to be on the lookout for:
While many of these decks haven’t changed much in composition since January, Drytron decks have become much and much less seen. That’s thanks to the fact that Cyber Angel Benten, a key component of those decks, have been limited to just one copy. While it is still powerful, it hasn’t been as widely seen, at least in our experiences.
This article was updated on June 14.
