Trap Cards, much like Spell Cards, are incredibly important in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. These cards can be used during the opponent’s turn while set on the field and can provide quite a bit of disruption to any Yu-Gi-Oh! match. Master Duel includes many Traps that have been previously released in the OCG and TCG, but which ones are the best to use? We have our list, so let’s go over it.
Torrential Tribute
Torrential Tribute is an older but simple card. This card can be activated when a Monster on the field is Summoned. Upon doing so, it will destroy all Monsters on the field.
This card makes the list for several reasons. For one, it’s a very affordable R rarity card. Second, this card can be quite useful at the lower tiers, since most players probably won’t have the cards that can negate its effect quite easily. Just make a note to use it if your board is already set up.
Mirror Force
Mirror Force, like Torrential Tribute, is one of the oldest Trap Cards in Yu-Gi-Oh!. This card can be activated when the opposition declares an attack. Upon activation, it will destroy all Attack Position Monsters on the opponent’s side of the field.
Even though this card is not as powerful as it was during the early days of the game, thanks to other cards that can easily negate its effect, Mirror Force can be quite useful in various situations. And much like Torrential Tribute, it can be a very useful out in the lower and middle tiers.
Infinite Impermanence
Infinite Impermanence is one of those cards that should be high on the priority list for crafting cards. This card has two effects, one that can be activated from the hand and one on the field. Infinite can be activated from the hand while you control no cards, and upon activation, can target and negate the effects of a Monster on the field. Its effect, when set, is essentially the same but with a twist. Upon activation, it will also negate the effects of all cards in the column that it was set in on the field.
Because of its power and ability to be used in hand, Infinite Impermanence needs to be considered one of the key staples in Master Duel.
Solemn Judgement
Let’s move on to the Counter Trap Cards, which can be activated in response to an action by the opponent. Two Counter Traps make this list, with one being Solemn Judgement. This card, upon activation, can negate either the Summon of a Monster or the activation of a Spell or Trap. But, there’s a steep price: half of your LP.
Because of that high cost, you will need to choose your spots when activating this card. However, it is a major disruptor, so the cost can definitely be worth it if used at the right time.
Solemn Strike
The other Counter Trap on this list is Solemn Strike. For 1500 LP, this Trap can negate either the activation of a Monster effect or a Special Summon of a Monster.
This card is not as powerful as Solemn Judgement for a few reasons. One, the cost to activate this card is fixed, meaning that if you don’t have 1500 LP to give up, you can’t activate this card. Second, Solemn Strike does not shut down Normal Summons, nor Spells or Traps. Still, it can be quite useful, and if used in tandem with Solemn Judgement, can do a lot of damage to opposing duelists’ strategies.
Related: The best meta decks to use in Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel (2022)
There Can Be Only One
Another UR Trap that needs to get some love is There Can Be Only One. The effect of this card is simple: each player can only control one Monster of each type on the field. If there are two or more Monsters of the same type on one side, players must decide which one to send to the GY.
This card is great for control decks, ones that like to limit what the other player can do. It’s handy against decks like Drytrons or Tri-Brigades, which like to swarm to set up. However, make sure that if you activate it, you are well-equipped and have a monster with a high ATK stat. Otherwise, you might be in trouble as well.
Ice Dragon’s Prison
Ice Dragon’s Prison can be easily splashed in various decks, and for good reason. Ice Dragon’s Prison can target one Monster from your opponent’s side of the field, and Special Summon it to your field. Its effects, however, are negated. Upon activation, you will have the option to banish one Monster card from each player’s field, so long as each has the the same type as the one selected.
This card is somewhat similar to Call of the Haunted but much better. It can take away a key Monster from the opponent’s field and be very useful against other meta decks like Drytrons or the Eldlich control deck. It is more suited for decks that like to move slowly, but it’s useful for taking cards away from the opponent and putting those to good use for Special Summons.
Crackdown
Crackdown is a Continuous Trap Card with a similar yet different effect than Ice Dragon’s Prison. Instead of taking a Monster from the GY, Crackdown takes one from the field. Its effects can’t be activated, nor can it attack. And when the Monster leaves the field, Crackdown leaves the field.
It’s not hard to figure out why this card can be useful, especially for control-centric decks like Eldlich or Subterrors. Shutting down a Monster and taking it from the opponent can make things a lot easier for yourself, hence why it makes this list.
Imperial Order
Imperial Order was one of the strongest cards ever released in Yu-Gi-Oh!. This card was so powerful that it received an errata from Konami to change the card’s description. When activated, this card shuts down the effects of all Spell Cards on the field, and any Spell Cards activated while Imperial Order is active will have their effects shut down. This card does come at a cost, as the user must pay 700 LP every turn. And this is not optional, except if the holder has less than 700 LP.
Imperial Order is limited to one, and for good reason. The ability to shut down Spells makes it very difficult for many other decks to add cards to hand, summon Monsters, and so forth. Be careful, however, with how this card is used. Otherwise, it could bite you as well.
Vanity’s Emptiness
Vanity’s Emptiness, much like Imperial Order, is limited to one copy in Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. When activated, neither player can Special Summon Monsters on the field. If the user has a card that goes from the field to the GY, Vanity’s Emptiness is destroyed.
Considering how Yu-Gi-Oh! has evolved as a game, it’s not hard to figure out why this card is so powerful. Many archetypes rely heavily on the Special Summon, so if you can get a big beater out early and shut down this option for the opponent, it becomes challenging for the other player to actually play.
