BREAKING or STOPPING Your Opponent's Boards - Yu-Gi-Oh

[@CardmarketYGO]

Little comprehensive list of the cards mentioned here: bit.ly/3mRVXKp

[@Alex-Omega]

I prefer Board Breakers. In my opinion, they simply do more for a single card but it also depends on the format. A single Ash on Branded Fusion works better than a Lava-Golem against Despia for example

[@unemiryune9322]

I'm in favor of board breakers since in current meta even several hand traps might not be enough to stop your opponent. I'd rather superpoly the board away once it's there

[@randumo24]

That is a highly dependent card on your deck. You should of course be running that card if you have the right deck for it, but having a psuedo board breaker that takes a monster or two away from your opponent and gives you one of your own fusion monsters on your side of the board is far different than running the board breakers that can be run in any deck.

[@DNNYYCLR]

My mathmech and Marincess deck can main 20 handtraps in main deck. You consistently do full combo and end with 3- 4 handtraps.

[@Ryu_Makkuro]

I'll say this: which one is stronger depends on the format more than anything, however it is extremely clear that you can defend yourself most of the time against board breakers, which immediately implies that both players are able to play at all. On the stopping side of the field, the situation is from the get go a lot more toxic, since it revolves around not allowing the opponent to play, which is the opposite of the whole point of playing a game and most importantly, you rely entirely on having a good enough hand to play through disruptions. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter which card is better, because YGO players will always manage to find the most consistent and toxic way of assuring victory.

[@timothyvenske6519]

I’d like to chime in and say that while I can understand why you would call handtraps toxic, I have to disagree a bit. The only especially toxic handtrap I can think of is Dimension Shifter which of course doubles as a floodgate. But if I have the option of being hand trapped 3 times and passing on a very weak board or spending 10 minutes comboing just to get evenly matched, I’ll take the handtrap interruptions all day. If you think that a simplified game state is inherently toxic, that’s definitely an opinion. But my opinion is that fair 1-for-1 trades which slow down the game are good for yugioh, which is an inherently crazy game.

[@ndaroadndaroad8816]

Board breakers are bad in comparison to handtraps, BUT many decks -take advantage of / synergise with- breakers more than hand traps. Certain breakers are searchable/necessary in decks. Nibiru is perfect for adamancipator. Cyber dragon needs to have a jizukiru. Evenly matched is necessary in traptrix to keep the trap count high. In contrast. Most handtraps imo are WAY stronger. A properly timed ash blossom is an absolute GAME CHANGER. Most board breakers either just chump a negation or leave your opponent with resources left over. Handtraps prevent your opponent from getting to places where some board breakers can’t beat. Handtraps however are much more skill based and harder to search for/synergise in deck. Not many people know when to use them against opponents combos. When used properly though, ash blossom can just make someone forfeit.

[@abzodolba473]

Prevent your opponent from playing is the correct answer 😤

[@Rain593]

That has always been the way to play Yu-Gi-Oh.

[@Rain593]

@Kevin Ramadhan Can't speak for OP, but even back in 2012/2013. Dino/Macro Rabbit's goal was to stop your opponent from creating a board. Wind-Ups either looped your hand or summoned 1-2 Shock Masters and stopped you from playing at all. Dragon Rulers generated so much card advantage you couldn't keep up.

[@abzodolba473]

@Kevin Ramadhan Spyral U-link or Gouki gumblar for recent example

[@andrewgood7586]

@Kevin Ramadhan Using raigeki wont work against decks like dark world or others who put up spell negates.

[@TheAnonymous4545]

That's why I shoot on their main phase. Can't play if you're dead that's why my blue eyes deck is unbeatable

[@SmilingTiger09]

Hot take: handtraps actually takes skill to use, you need to know exactly when and where shoot your bullet in order to do the most damage. Board breakers are for dummies, just play one card and that's it.

[@ThatsSoGiorgio]

I’m playing a going blind second-board breaker approach. I was running hand traps but I kept top decking hand traps when they would have been useful the previous turn. I also kept losing to a bunch of hand traps so I figured going second, I won’t play through as many hand traps and as long as I can create a solid chain of board breakers then I can play. 90% of the time, I watch my opponent set their board and can turn it off with Dark Ruler. I’m maining Forbidden Chalice, Imperm, Forbidden Droplet, Lightning Storm and a bunch of other cards. I believe I’m running 21 board breakers/extenders like Thrust to get to the extra board breaker I need I bait the ash first.

[@MysteriousGuardian]

Honestly, this year, I have started doing nether. I switched to all gas, no brakes, and have been surprised how well it works.

[@atlar8651]

You cannot dump multiple Kaijus, but you can dump multiple Santa klaws which is in fact a kaiju (be sure to make it lift the field before the end phase otherwise your opponent willl draw a card)

[@NivramAxuf]

I'm team break, seems right for going 2nd Machina (I haven't played since like a month or 2 before Therion got to Master Duel)

[@andrewgood7586]

I play one hand trap in my main, triple imperm, and then I have various board breakers that I side in going second. I like imperm because I can use it going first to disrupt on my opponents turn when theyre trying to break my board, and I can use it as a board breaker going second. I lean toward board breakers heavily after I see what my matchup is though. Im siding evenly matched, kaijus, drnm, cosmics and duster.

[@bongjutsu3489]

Depends really but generallyI tend to like a mix of both for the main so you can go both first and second but have the side ready to either go full ht or full bord breaker. Bords are easier to break if they got hit by a ht at the right time but you do need the deckspace for it.

[@Dyllon2012]

I prefer board breakers because you don’t need to fully understand your opponent’s combos to use them effectively.

[@elgringo1893]

I honestly find hantraps to be useless against a lot of decks, I'd rather run board breakers like super poly personally

[@baileydombroskie3046]

Handtraps r only truly most effective when the person using them has great knowledge about most decks so they know wat they need to hit and wat they can ignore. If u don’t have the time or brain power to learn 20 different decks and there combos and stuff then u may find greater success using board breakers. With using board breakers all u have to do is pay attention to wat lingering effect the opponent used and wat there board looks like. Some monsters have effects they give to an XYZ monster when used for it as material. So u need to pay attention to those kinds of cards. But beyond that, just read wat there cards on there feield do and u’ll kno wwat needs to go 1st for u to be able to win.

[@Primetheusgame]

I usually only get time to go to my locals Thursday Yu-Gi-Oh events which are a "casual" (I use that loosely) best of one. Think master duel. So I tend to make a going second deck that breaks boards rather than prevents them playing.and if I go first.... Well I have to deal. I think I'm one of like 3 of 30 regular players that make it the main goal to go second, so it's a decent meta call there.

[@Thousandeyes85]

Break... You should all have your playsets of Lava by now

[@witchy90210]

I like summonning black rose dragon (or ruddy rose) , or Wall of Thorns. I often make people cry. Yes I need set up and can be disrupted, but when it pays off, it pays off.

[@flickybicky9397]

i'm playing skystriker this format and decided to play mix of both handtraps and boardbreakers with 3 ash 3 imperm 3 nibiru 3 evenly and 3 book of moon

[@flickybicky9397]

@Kevin Ramadhan that’s for tcg, in master duel I’m running Spyral with 3 maxx c 3 ash and 3 droplet, I’m just gonna win every dice roll and end on borreload baronne colossus 4 mat appollousa and sleeper equipped with last resort

[@hamster6216]

i actually love to play board breaker format, at least there is interaction game between both duelist, but still as master duel/ocg player, with maxx c still around on game, we forced to main decking ash, cbtg, crossout to outing those busted card

[@yugiMOWS]

Hand traps main deck you should always have ways to stop your opponent and board breakers should be combined with the stoppers when going second

[@Shaman5EUSK]

board breakers are great when your deck is very engine heavy, esp in decks that have a lot of in engine board breakers like Darkworld and Kashtira. Overall, i much prefer Hand traps just simple because they very flexible in their use.

[@inkarozu2309]

As a primarily Master Duel player, I use 4 to 6 hand traps in EVERY deck (2 of Maxx C, Ash and Imperm) and really the only board breakers I use any more are lightning storm for the versatility and lava golem in a select few.

[@ct1296]

Why 2 of each tho when maxx c is (unfortunately) the best card in the game? Imperm might win you games, but maxx c will win you pretty much any game where you resolve it going second. Imo every MD deck should be playing 3x maxx c as well as 3x ash, 2x cbtg and 1x crossout since all of the latter prevent maxx c and prevent you from auto-losing to it (though if you’re playing a trap / stun deck then this is less applicable)

[@ct1296]

@Kevin Ramadhan this is such a garbage take. At worst it forces them to use either ash or called by, which would both unexpectedly disrupt your plays on your turn and could potentially cost you the game. At best your opponent either summons twice and passes turn with basically nothing on their board, or lets you draw 5 or more cards (yes, this happens very frequently) and you get to draw into all your starters, boardbreakers and extenders. The argument of “it doesn’t work against a few tier 3 decks” is ridiculous. Drawing 1 is still a good effect (hence why upstart, chicken game and into the void are still played - and are all limited or banned in the tcg), and there isn’t a single staple card that is good against every deck. Swordsoul doesn’t have an ash blossom chokepoint, droplet / drnm are dead cards against those same kinds of decks, nibiru doesn’t trigger against a tonne of meta decks (spright, branded etc), imperm’s targeting can be dodged by decks that can remove cards with quick plays / quick effects, the list goes on. Try playing in higher ranks / playing decks that are less braindead than “set 5 pass” and you’ll likely understand why it’s the single most played card in the game, and why almost every deck dedicates 6 cards specifically to stop it.

[@justmega9569]

​@kevinramadhan1015Maxx C is always at least a neutral unless you're playing it like an idiot. Use it in response to a potential special summon, and if they negate it its an even trade.

[@aciesara5444]

​@@ct1296 While I also don't agree with his take, Maxx "C" is not a must-include card. For example, Miri's Runick decklist (one of the top players in Duelist Cup) doesn't include it. Yes yes I know it's a braindead deck, but it's not a tier 3 deck either, and you will often find that deck in higher ranks.

[@therealrealwizz]

I like both tbh u run a mixture in the main well stuff that can be both

[@abendsonnewarriorcats9474]

Kuriboh is the best handtraps

[@rebeldevil7916]

Honestly I would play prevent you from playing in main but have in side board breakers.

[@darkpaw1522]

It’s sad when nowadays if you don’t have either you don’t just lose, you don’t even get to play your deck.

[@lucasmaltha7166]

Main handtraps to stop Branded and Kash, side backrow hate

[@_SYDGAMING_]

My decks point is to stop my opponent. Vanitys feind. Ruler. Fossil dyna abyss dweller archlord kystia. My win condition is stalling for exodia while they cant play the game

[@puppieslovies]

In master duel, you really want to be doing both to some degree. Hand traps are better though, because they are always live. Board breakers just are not very helpful if you go first

[@puppieslovies]

@Kevin Ramadhan ash, maxx c, ogre, and belle are all useful to some degree Nibiru is a brick but that is already true in many matchups

[@TearsofaMermaid]

I love board breaking more than stopping them. It's more polite to let them build and still have them interact with me. While they try and stop me from breaking their board. Stopping a board is boring. There's no skill involved when you stop their combos, they end your turn and then build your board uncontested. My favorite thing to do is bait out negates. Had to break a dinosaur board with my dogmatika deck. They had apollousa, dollka, Laggia and ultimate conductor tyranno. It was so satisfying navigating very precisely desiding what cards to play in what order to break their board and still establish your board without being disrupted or use their disruptions to your advantage.

[@Raz0rIG]

There is skill to preventing a board, you have to know the opponent's combo lines and identify their weakest choke point. That is just a different skill set, but skill none the less. Also in some formats, board breaking is not as viable as preventing and vice versa and varied with the different matchups. Also board breakers give you a worse defensive ratio when going 1st setting up your own board and having hand traps gives you another layer of defense. So there's pros and cons to both.

[@ASoldierify]

@@Raz0rIG I think Why OP said that there is no skill involved (I don't agree with that, my stance is there is less skill involved) is because more and more meta decks are becoming streamline once u learn which card to hit you just hit the same card every time which is not skill involved. IMO the skill comes in whenever people stop building decks way to identical and most variances happen in the mirror match up.

[@kylo-juju3796]

i´ll go with board breakers, most of ygo game nowadays can just shrug it off when facing handtraps

[@bestcustomscream]

i think that board breaker is better because you give the possibility to play, at your opponent otherwise hand trap are frustrating. you try to search and ash come and f*** you up

[@Dragonatrix]

Isn't this kind of a false dichotomy? They both have different uses and how good they are is highly variable based on the current state of the game to begin with. Surely the only right answer is that neither one is straight-up better, and you should have some of each so you're always able to respond to your opponent.

[@sineupp]

Going second is way more fun for me. Summoning Ultimate Conductor Tyranno or Steam Train King, and punching super hard for game makes my dopamine-addicted brain happy. EDIT: after watching the video, I guess my comment is irrelevant since I'm just a MasterDuel yugiboomer, don't play TCG. EDIT 2: "ten seconds ago, when my opponent was doing combos" you probably meant "10 minutes ago" ;D

[@BobbyCorwen42]

for some odd reason, board breakers are all extremely expensive. Evenly just got printed in a structure and it's still 3€. This is not cool.

[@DragonWaffleX]

I think handtraps are better in the current meta but board breakers are better in a vacuum.

[@randumo24]

Are they though? They only work really well if you are going 2nd, and so many decks are positioned well to just stop them from working. You can try to play through hand traps, but it is always dependent on your hand whether or not you can. They can completely stop plays. Board breakers are things that people can and do actually prepare for. It will honestly seem crazy when you actually stop and think about how many FTK strategies hand traps stop from being played. If Ash was suddenly banned, the game would be toxic as hell.

[@DragonWaffleX]

@@randumo24 I think so taking away all your opponents stuff will always be a good thing. But because of all the interaction Yu-Gi-Oh has they are less efficient then stopping you opponent from doing their stuff in the first place. But if there was no interaction or less things that could interact with board breakers I think the game would shift to "yeah bro just do all your stuff" and then next turn play a spell speed 4 dark hole or something. Because at that point you take away those cards plus all the resources used for them.

[@tod5404]

Why not both?

[@FireFog44]

If I had to guess, it’s because you don’t want to clog your deck with too many cards that don’t work to improve your own strategy. Better to go all in on one or the other, usually.

[@johnbalkin8223]

I much perfer board beakers

[@bknight045]

there are also two sides... one card combo and unbreakable boards.

[@JumbaJumby]

Psy Frame player here. I have no choice in the matter lol

[@oscartorre6003]

Board breakers all the way. I get the appeal of building unbreakable boards but dismantling a board will always be more fun to me. Going second, my victories will always feel more rewarding than when I go first. This is why I play almost exclusively blind second decks.

[@REALmyenemy]

Staaaahp!

[@jean-philippegrignom6479]

I mean... Imperm is a handtrap and a board braker

[@186Soup]

None of the above. Going back to G.O.A.T. and Edison. I have advanced format burnout from playing the past 2 years. A combination of Tear, Runick, Kash, and adventure package making the burnout that much more rough. I might come back to advanced format if maxx c and glow-up bulb come back but we will see.

[@phiefer3]

The question isn't exclusive to modern formats though, it's been around since the beginning, with the only change being replacing handtraps specifically with older forms of interaction, but there's always been the question of stopping your opponents plays or breaking their stuff after it's been played.

[@retr0pearce765]

👀👀

[@milyvean]

Adam I can only think about your eyes.. they are beautiful!!🥰

[@milyvean]

also the video is pretty good!

[@9clawtiger]

Cant speak in terms of what's competitive, but from a design stand point I like what board breakers bring to the game more. An opponent should be able to punish you for over-extending.

[@beagrothus7916]

It workes the way it workes wirh children either you prevent or you gotta deal with it. - this was written by a child btw