Every format sees some hand traps end up performing better than others. Let's discuss the most relevant now that the recent ban list murdered Tearlaments and Kashtira became an actual deck. What makes these hand traps good, what are their applications, and which ones should you pick?
Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring
is the most popular hand trap ever made and the one that has the most impact against pretty much everything. Against Kashtira, it might not be that good, but Kashtira players will want to play it to stop . It is also amazing versus and the Bystial engine in the Branded deck. Ash can also stop and from resolving, which is huge against Runick variants.
Just be prepared to see it a lot more than you did previously, especially at the beginning of the format, where the meta might not be too clearly defined yet.
Dimension Shifter
I think everyone already agrees that is a scary card. It was a menace in the Floowandereeze deck and caused trouble for every deck that is reliant on the graveyard—and there were a lot of them, Tearlaments included. Banishing all your cards that hit the graveyard for two straight turns is a very powerful effect. With Kashtira now being one of the strongest decks of the new format, the deck automatically takes a page right out of the Floowandereeze deck and plays Shifter in the main deck since it is reliant on banishing cards.
The problem with Shifter is that, although it is one of the best hand traps these days, most decks cannot afford to include it since it would hurt their actual strategy, putting the card in somewhat of a weird place. However, you will certainly end up seeing it a lot in this format, whether you are playing Kashtira or against it. Swordsoul could also potentially run Shifter.
Nibiru, the Primal Being
has always been an impactful asteroid landing on your opponent's field to basically get rid of all the hard work they put into building it. It was not playable in the last format since it triggered the effects of Tearlaments monsters. After the ban list, however, things are quite different. Tearlaments probably won't be a major threat anymore, and there could be less incentive to play Floowandereeze since is now banned.
Both decks predicted to be the best decks in this format, Kashtira and Branded, have a very glaring weakness. They generally do not put up any negates and are very vulnerable to a well-timed Nibiru. Spright could also fall for it, depending on how they open. The card is amazing against the best decks, but might not be too impactful against others. It is a risk that has to be taken if you choose to play the card, but it could help you to at least get rid of a negation like if you are playing against decks like Swordsoul.
Droll & Lock Bird
If resolves at a perfect timing against the right deck, it can just say "no" to your opponent. Kashtira, for example, can search more than once pre-turn, depending on their opening hand. , , and are all cards that can search. I am not saying Droll is great against the deck, but it will at least stop multiple searches, potentially making the end board less oppressive. The same goes for Branded. If your opponent either uses or , you can cut off any potential searches. Droll is exceptionally good against Floowandereeze and any deck using the Adventure engine, including Kashtira.
However, Droll is better suited for the side deck, and its impact will depend on being sided in during the appropriate matchup.
Artifact Lancea
Interestingly enough, is probably one of the most impactful hand traps nowadays. Kashtira and Branded rely on banishing. Therefore, Lancea will be able slow them down during their turn. Bystials become neutralized and stops being a . You will still need a follow-up though, since on its own, Lancea won't be enough. On the other hand, against something like Floowandereeze, Lancea alone will be sufficient to stop your opponent in their tracks. Bystial Dragon Link is also a deck that could pop its head this format, and Lancea also deals with it.
Like Droll, it is another effective side deck card that has its good matchups.
Final Thoughts
On a side note, Bystials are still good as hand traps, but they have taken a bit of a hit in popularity since Tearlaments got massacred in the ban list. They will still be somewhat popular because of the Branded matchup, but most likely, other decks won't care that much. I know Kashtira, Runick, and possibly Spright won't.
In my opinion, the above five picks currently make for better hand traps. In case anyone is wondering, I did not include since it is technically and practically a trap card, but it should definitely be played. Now, since we are on the topic of non-monster outs, I want to point at one thing. Since is basically bait for hand traps just like , all of the above five hand trap picks must be considered risky.
As I mentioned in my previous article, where I discussed Triple Tactics Thrust, hand traps could potentially help the opponent to search out a key card they need, and they could even activate it on the same turn, depending on whether you control a monster or not. Therefore, while some hand traps are good in this format, it is somewhat dangerous to rely on them. Triple Tactics Thrust can easily change the course of the game by giving your opponent the exact card they need, whether it is a normal spell card or a normal trap card, to either finish you off or force you on the defensive.
Which of these hand traps are you using this format? Do you think there are other more impactful hand traps? If you are seeing success with them, please share your experience and results of your testing in the comment section below!
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, not of Cardmarket.
