Dawn of Majesty is the latest set to release in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. With it come two new members of the cyberse type: Link Apple and Antihuman Intelligence ME-PSY-YA. Both of them are sought-after cards for more than just cyberse collectors, the difference in rarity notwithstanding.
The first is an extender or draw card, depending on your extra deck, while the second is a pseudo- in pendulum form that controls the flow of the game. In this article, I want to take a closer look at and how it can be a useful option for almost any deck in the Advanced Format. While it appears to be a friendly digital device, this card can leave a sour taste in your opponent's mouth if used efficiently.
An Apple a Day
Link Apple is a new tech option that is a generic supporter for any cyberse deck. When playing this card as a three-of it becomes easily drawable through cards like , with less chance to banish all three copies for its cost. Of course, it can be searched by for instant access to its effect, or immediately summoned from the deck with . As a level one monster, it can also summon itself as a free body that can be used to revive if needed in the late game.
In Code Talker decks, this monster is a guaranteed extender because you play only link monsters in the extra deck. Although one of these links will be banished at random as part of Link Apple's effect, this deck can utilise to easily shuffle it back. This is important considering how many link monsters Code Talker combos make use of in the first turn. Added to this, because of its low level, this card grants more consistent access to , which requires a level two or lower cyberse to link summon it. This link is a key part of the extra link combo with Code Talkers and now the deck can run another extender that can go into it.
Fruit Salad
Salamangreat is another cyberse deck which can benefit from using this card. While it only plays a handful of xyz monsters—meaning Link Apple will be used more as an extender—this does not rule out its draw effect for the deck. Banishing your only copy of can be rough, so ideally you will want to use this card after you have already set up for the turn. If Link Apple is in the graveyard, can use its effect to return it to your hand during the standard combo thanks to its fire attribute. You would then be able to activate it if you hadn't already used its effect this turn.
Another option would be to leave it in the graveyard and use a reincarnated to target the Apple and make the attack of an opponent's monster become zero. This is useful because it means you don't have to rely on drawing and discarding monster hand traps with no attack value if you want to take full advantage of this effect of Heatleo. In this way, Link Apple affords you the freedom to be more selective with how you use these hand-traps than before.
Core Draw
For non-link decks, becomes a guaranteed draw one without the cost of a card like . This is a valuable thing to have in order to gain hand advantage over your opponent. With Virtual World in particular, you can use to shuffle the banished xyz or synchro back if it is banished itself. Other decks that don't use the extra deck, such as True Draco or Monarchs, could run a card like to set up its effect when banished with Link Apple. This monster can summon itself on the following turn to give either of these heavy-hitting decks another big beater for that extra push for the win.
An interesting interaction to watch out for is if your opponent chains a card like to the activation of Link Apple's effect. While resolving, if the banished monster is not a link, the effect to discard and draw goes through. If it is a link, then the Apple cannot be summoned and stays in your hand. On the flip side, the card cannot be chained to a Vanity's Emptiness that is already applying its effect. If this is the case, then you will have to get rid of the continuous trap before attempting to summon it again on your next turn.
Overall, Link Apple is a great new cyberse supporter that can be used as a free extender, with additional utility as a low-level fire monster. It is also a great tech option in any non-link deck for free draws, with various ways to recur the cards banished by its effect. The card seems to be truly ap-peel-ing for any player that wants to take a bite out of the competition. Let us know what you think about this juicy new tech from Dawn of Majesty below!
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily Cardmarket.
