Branded Basics Ep2: Lines to Play Through EVERY Handtrap

Learn Branded Despia through Handtraps!
Branded is one of the most complex decks in the Yugioh meta right now and everyone has to start somewhere. Follow along with the series where I teach the basics of playing Branded. I'm learning the deck myself and I learn better if I make content about it, so hopefully this is of use to some of you.
The combos in the series are assuming you're playing the latest meta build (fusion deployment, low bystial count, etc.) but for this episode, it all applies no matter what build you're playing.
In this one we cover the most relevant handtraps of the meta and how to either play around them or through them.
Learn the ins and outs of the deck so you can beat the other Yu-Gi-Oh! meta contenders like Labyrinth, Kashtira, Swordsoul, Floowandereeze, Traptrix, and more.
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Ash Blossom
03:15 - Impermanence / Veiler / Gamma
08:30 - Nibiru
13:07 - Droll & Lock Bird
15:30 - Bystials and D.D. Crow
20:00 - Ghost Belle
20:50 - Dimension Shifter
22:30 - Artifact Lancea
25:00 - Contact "C"

[@riccardomartina9517]

Alright so, in order to play through ash blossom on branded fusion: Ask the opponent if you can read ash blossom Throw it away very quickly or make the card disappear by any other means (eat it, light it on fire) Immediately call for a judge telling him your opponent plays 39 cards Profit If your opponent is on 41 cards then it just wasn't meant to be your game

[@phantomsygo]

I forgot that line thanks =]

[@brockfg]

as a new yugioh player who picked up branded you are my king

[@phantomsygo]

Appreciate it boss!

[@logicalinsanity]

Seriously I just came back to the game and trying to upgrade the albaz strike deck. This is so helpful

[@chlobot69420]

A note about playing through nib: Rindbrumm’s grave effect is only during your opponent’s turn, you can do pretty much the same thing you said but it’d be during their turn. One thing you can do if you order things slightly differently is if they Nib you before you use Cartesia you can chain Cartesia to nib, summon Quaeritis with Cartesia and Aluber, and then at resolution trigger Quaeritis to summon Albaz from deck and then do the same play

[@bigg_boss_rob]

Thank you for part 2 so informative 🙌🏻

[@GHMetallica37]

Awesome video! Really helpful content

[@Lenari_Reigh]

I've been trying to figure out these combo lines and seeing it makes it make so much sense now. Thanks for these last two vids my guy!

[@angelogrotti]

10:33 Retribution is live because you can shuffle 2 fusion monsters from the GY but it’d be one negate and still not optimal

[@christjosh8853]

Beat me to it 🤣 retribution is so much better than people realized at first

[@garciansmith1460]

This video is a godsend.

[@trig8364]

going to my first regional sunday, been on branded since the structure decks came out! wish me luck!

[@sharang26]

Thanks bro, been struggling against hand traps so this video is fantastic

[@phantomsygo]

Glad to hear it!

[@redace4821]

Great timing, just recently completed my Branded deck.

[@phantomsygo]

Nice! Hope it helps!

[@nikbutawesome]

Appreciate the helpful content bro, though I was hoping you could make a video on how to build a branded deck- just going over the decklist that you use in these videos as well as what each card does in the deck would be really nice. Also going over replacement(s) for the Bystial engine would be great, since it's a pretty expensive set of cards that doesn't necessarily seem required for the deck.

[@phantomsygo]

Yeah i’ll go thru a deck profile sometime soon most likely

[@izzydarkhart4144]

In my branded despia, turn one to start off a have branded fusion, despia theate, blazing Cartesia, and patch work. Despia theater has low key saved so many games. People are so focused on holding there hand traps for branded fusion and I play around with that knowledge and they typically are not prepared for despia theater after they used all of their hand traps to stop the branded fusion play. I also have way more generic dark monsters that can always be summoned no mater what so I always have a play and a strong board turn one with or with out branded fusion. I know it is not a pure branded deck and you said you do not use patch work but it is handy for playing threw ash with little effort.

[@phantomsygo]

Yea i like the big gas version too with a lot of fusion spells. Very similar to my budget build in episode 7

[@Wulfgang239]

Love your videos man, I’m currently building a branded deck. My friends and I enjoy yugioh within our circle, don’t do locals-lol one piece of advice I’m certain you’ve heard before is, when demonstrating opponent interruptions; it’s helpful to have opposing sleeve colors. Other than that, keep on keeping on. :)

[@phantomsygo]

Appreciate the feedback! Thanks for watching

[@dinormisimus2138]

Rindbrum can use eff during opponents turn only

[@EvaristoH]

D.D. Crow deserves a bit of a distinction with Bystials because it can also threaten your Retribution plays. My recommendation is to send the Retribution with Saronir first and then activate Albion to send Branded Fusion as a cost, that way if they chain the Albion you can just chain Retribution before Crow resolves. (I think they shouldn't be able to respond to Retribution either since it's a counter trap) If they are Galaxy Brain and Crow the Retribution when it hits the GY you can try to chain it and get any Branded spell or trap back to hand just for fodder.

[@subarashifoundation]

for the ash line, you can also wait on grangugnol and tag out to quaertis first, and leave red as last resort

[@phantomsygo]

Yep good point! Thanks

[@betterIDK]

Love these branded videos, they are really well informed, but one thing, In the Albion line where you get Nibed I think you could have set retribution since it can instead shuffle from GY to negate

[@phantomsygo]

Oh true good point!

[@Vandylizer]

How would you use Retribution to negate the summon of Nib when you're on Turn 1? You can't activate a trap the same turn it was set so you'd get Nibbed. And of course if you've made it to Turn 3 you can stop Nibiru but that's assuming you didn't dump Retribution as part of your Combos (which is what is likely if you made it to Turn 3)

[@betterIDK]

@@Vandylizer I wasn't trying to say use Retribution to negate Nib, I was saying that it's another opition to set for interruption instead of another trap like Banishment or Expulsion

[@Vandylizer]

@@betterIDK Yeah it is a good card for negating summons + recycling 2 from the grave is awesome when those cards are usually Albion and other Fusions sent for cost 👍

[@francohurtado8172]

just remember that granguinol activates if the opponent uses nib, so you'll already have a proskenion or quaeritis on field in the opp's turn

[@pennhoang8757]

Can't rindbrumm on your own turn but the line plays around nib pretty effectively anyway. Grand can send Albion. If you play branded in white then retribution add back then fuse to make mirror jade works. Also on op turn rindbrumm still is an inturption anyway.

[@pennhoang8757]

Meant Albion shrouded dragon

[@Uxkkun]

This series is very very helpful, thanks :) Is there a line you'd go for if you're going first with no info on the opponent? e.g. always Branded Opening in DP, or always play around Nibiru, etc.

[@phantomsygo]

I’d play around imperm every chance i get since its most common and then yea play around nibiru if possible but you play thru nibiru pretty well regardless

[@gokublack7904]

Thank you so much, definitely thumbs up + subscribe! Can you please do some test hands? :D

[@phantomsygo]

Yeah i can do a test hand video sometime soon =] thank you

[@RaulHernandez-lr7nn]

Retribution would still be live if set with Albion by shuffling back mirrorjade and Albion to the extra. 10:30

[@michaelstephens4992]

I actually run the field spell. Gets past Ash and if I have Lost on the field it's very sweet for me lol. The field spell is also searchable as well. I know this is also an expensive option but I run prosp as one of my ash outs. Play it first before playing any of the big plays to help secure that potential ash in hand

[@literallygrass1328]

Unreal

[@michaelstephens4992]

@literallygrass1328 Well a lot has changed since this initial posting lol. I did drop the theater in favor of 3 crosscut designators

[@TimeIsAHoax]

For Ash on BF, I prefer to send Titaniklad off of Granguignol and summon Quem in the EP and dumping Albaz. That way a possible Branded in Red is still live, I threaten Mirrorjade and Granguignol can tag out.

[@EvaristoH]

Rindbrumm cannot be used on your turn for the Albaz play, however Despian Quaeritis will be triggered by Nibiru, letting you summon an Albaz from your deck. You can either have it on your field or chain the Nibiru with a Branded in Red if available. Also wouldn't Grandguignol effect be activated by Nibiru as well? Not sure about this one but I believe it would as it works in the GY too.

[@phantomsygo]

Yep that was a bit of an error on my part, a couple other comments pointed out the correct lines

[@taylorhutcherson2662]

Good stuff you should do a breaking boards with branded video

[@phantomsygo]

Kinda depends on the board, i do have some gameplay breaking swordsoul boards out on the channel already but maybe some kind of test hand video going second

[@taylorhutcherson2662]

@@phantomsygo let me know if you need a testing partner

[@brandogg974]

Do you have any strats for control/burn? want to give gimic puppet a try

[@phantomsygo]

Nothing in particular really, maybe make masquerade and hope they burn themselves faster than they burn you

[@Tendozer]

What is the name of music please ?

[@Anbec8]

what about Rikka? specially Rikka Kon Kon and Rikka Princess effects?

[@phantomsygo]

I dont know much about the rikka matchup sorry. I assume going first prob just banish the link 1 or the vanilla guy and you shud be good. Going second depends on what they have

[@MattMasca]

Why should impermanence be dead if lost is on the field?

[@SonnyLando]

and they somehow hit the cartesia, is there any follow up play there?

[@phantomsygo]

I mean if they use ash and imperm theyll be on 4 cards and cartesia is a quick effect so you can try again on their turn, grang can still turn into a quaertis or proskenion, etc. you should be able to survive till next turn

[@toovuhboi1816]

just wondering do you have a deck profile?

[@phantomsygo]

Yep check out episode 5!

[@TeamChaos8320]

Another good counter against branded is non fusion area that card help me at my locals

[@jarom1144]

Ash hits the deck hard. Negating the branded fusion is always the ultimate counter. They may be able to make a small board but it's usually easily broken.

[@rectorito1186]

For playing through ash couldn't you also use nadir servant to try and set up a branded in red play?

[@phantomsygo]

Yep that's another option, i wasn't aware of it at the time i made this video =]

[@rectorito1186]

Do you know if since cyberstorm access if there's any new ways that branded can react to handtraps?

[@phantomsygo]

@@rectorito1186 i suspect there are some new lines with Quem but i havent tested them out yet

[@rectorito1186]

If you figure anything out I'd definitely be interested in how they are done cause used a makeshift branded despia deck at my locals and hand traps definitely hurt

[@louisssss8214]

Lancea x3?

[@skyzip4k171]

hi. can i please see your decklist?

[@phantomsygo]

I’m working on one i’ll do a video sometime soon

[@dv-Dieno]

to play around shifter the only way is making a Dragoon? thats SAD. 😢

[@kevinc.8885]

can you make this again with the cyac support if you see this comment

[@phantomsygo]

yeah i might do a basics video about the benefits of Quem

[@literallygrass1328]

As a branded player who doesn't do any research and then complains when I lose, thank you

[@jcpwgames]

wth. this deck is complicated. I need a pen and paper.

[@pimentheus]

Nice content bro! Keep doing videos like this, it helps a lot to have an idea to go for when we feel stuck in bad situations! I really appreciate your dedication to make good explanation in your videos . 🫡