2024 turned out to be a fantastic year for theYu-Gi-Oh! TCG. There are fresh archetypes, game-breaking interactions, and cards that have everyone craving a good duel. There are many cards that made an impact during the year, but some just had an easier time flipping things upside down.
Some cards made an impact by turning a box opening into a real treasure hunt. Meanwhile, other cards open up the door for fresh strategies in some classic decks. So which cards manage to claw their way up to the top as some of the most game-changing of 2024?
10Dragon Master Magia
A Chase Card That Shook The Community
Dragon Master Magia first debuted in theBattles of Legend: Terminal Revenge setwith no reprints throughout 2024. The card has three negates, making it an excellent piece to have on your board at the end of your turn. However, this card is not easily accessible.
It is only printed as a quarter-century secret rare, which caused the card’s value to spike. This makes it one of the hardest cards to find but also one that made every opening of this set exciting.
9Bonfire
A Generic Searcher For Pyro Decks
The Maze of Millenia set includes manycards that were only ever seen in the anime. This includes a generic searcher for Pyro monsters known as Bonfire. Bonfire itself is not going to win you a duel on its own, but it makes many Pury monsters easily accessible from your deck.
This kind of utility makes Pyro decks more consistent and opens the door for more diverse deckbuilding. However, it also supported the other best archetypes of the year such as Snake-Eyes, and more roguish ones such as Volcanics.
8Promethean Princess
She Just Keeps Coming Back
Promethean Princess is a very utile card because it acts as both an extender and removal. This card managed to find its way into many Fire decks throughout 2024 before finally getting a reprint within the same year.
The best part about this card is that it doesn’t lock you into Fire monsters unless it is on the field. So, as long as you have a way to extend past it you can undo the restriction on your own. This restriction can also make it deadly if you have a way of getting it on your opponent’s field.
7Snake Eyes Poplar
Giving Snake Eyes A Power Boost
The Snake-Eyes archetype is already one of the best in 2024. However, the hype and dread of Snake-Eyes Poplar shook the community when it was first released. For starters, it could Special Summon itself just by being added to your hand.
It can fetch any of your Snake-Eyes Spells and Traps while also getting one of your Fire monsters into your Spell and Trap Zones. This is one fantastic card that just made Snake-Eyes so much better than it already was. It is also searchable through Bonfire.
6Nightmare Throne
A Field Spell To Bring Yubel Together
Phantom Nightmareturned one of the oddest Yu-Gi-Oh! archetypes into one of the strongest. Of the year. While some would say Phantom of Yubel is the highlight Yubel card, Nightmare Throne is great within and outside its archetype.
While Nightmare Throne is meant to be a searcher for Yubel, the actual wording only specifies that it searches for Fiends with zero attack and defense. This makes it more flexible and lowkey, a semi-generic searcher for the Fiend monsters, even though you will primarily use it to Summon Yubels regardless of Summoning requirements.
5Millennium Ankh
A Much Needed Card For Exodia
Exodia decks primarily revolve around getting all five pieces of the Forbidden One into your hand.The Infinite Forbidden setgave players a strong Exodia alternative and Summoning method.
Millennium Ankh is the root of this strategy since it lets you reveal the pieces to Special Summon The Unstoppable Exodia Incarnate from the extra deck. While it locks you from Special Summoning after using it, you may still set up your board with Millennium monsters that will stay on the field after you use Millennium Ankh.
4Mulcharmy Fuwalos
Maxx C Returns
The Mulcharmy cards are some of the most ruthless hand traps of the year. This is because they mimic the effect of the banned card, Maxx C. Mulcharmy Fuwalos released inthe Rage of the Abyss setand is the better choice among the two that released in 2024.
This is because you may draw a card each time your opponent Special Summons from the extra deck. With the extra deck being one of the most important aspects of many competitive decks, this card is a must-have in any meta deck.
3Mulcharmy Purulia
A Must Have Card In 2024
Mulcharmy Purulia isan excellent side deck optionif you realize that your opponent Special Summons monsters from their hand more often than the extra deck. Just like the other Mulcharmy cards, this allows you to draw cards each time they Special Summon.
While you do have to shuffle cards back into your deck depending on your opponent’s endboard, you will often find yourself getting a decent card advantage from playing it. You can also play both Mulcharmies together to create a deadly combo.
2Dominus Impulse
A Powerful Hand Trap
Dominus Impulse is one of the best negates in the game if your deck can survive without the use of Light, Earth, or Wind Monsters. Going first, you can place it on your side of the field and activate it to stop your opponent from Special Summoning from the deck.
If you’re going second, you can activate this card from your hand, but the attribute restrictions will apply going forward. However, this is something you can build your deck around so you can use it as a regular hand trap without feeling the restriction too much.
1Fiendsmith Engraver
Turning The Meta Upside Down
The Fiendsmith archetype debuted in the Infinite Forbidden set and immediately saw play due to high levels of consistency. Fiendsmith Engraver is the best card of the bunch since it does so much just to get your strategies off the ground.
You can discard it to fetch a Fiendsmith Spell or Trap from the deck. It can also be used in combination with your Equip Spells on the field to send a monster from the field to the graveyard. The versatility of the Fiendsmith archetype makes it one of the best additions of 2024.
