Deck research: Yubel and its evolution

For those who don't know about Yubel, it is a monster card that is looked down upon and very few realize its potential. Here is the exact wording of the card.

Yubel
10 star DARK
Fiend/Effect
Atk 0/Def 0

This card cannot be destroyed by battle. You take no battle damage from battles involving this card. When this face-up attack position card is attacked by an opponent's monster, before damage calculation inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's attack. During your end phase, tribute 1 monster or destroy this card. When this card is destroyed except by its own effect, you can special summon 1 yubel-terror incarnate from your hand, deck, or graveyard.

Lets go to its second form:

Yubel- Terror Incarnate
11 star DARK
Fiend/ Effect
Atk 0/ Def 0

This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card cannot be special summoned except with the effect of "Yubel". This card cannot be destroyed by battle. You take no battle damage from battles involving this card. When this face-up attack position card is attacked by an opponent's monster, before damage calculation inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's attack. During your end phase, destroy all other monsters on the field. When this face-up card is removed from the field, you can special summon 1 "yubel-the ultimate nightmare from your hand, deck, or graveyard.

Now, the final form of yubel:

Yubel-The Ultimate Nightmare
12 star DARK
Fiend/ Effect
Atk 0/ Def 0
This card cannot be normal summoned or set. This card cannot be special summoned except with the effect of "yubel-terror incarnate". This card cannot be destroyed by battle. You take no battle damage from battles involving this card. If this face-up attack position card battles an opponent's monster, inflict damage equal to its to your opponent and destroy that monster at the end of the damage step.


To simply put it, all the yubel forms are well balanced. It can't be destroyed by battle, you take no battle damage and if the opponent attacks you, they take damage instead. Its too bad yubel and yubel terror incarnate do not have "If this card attacks or is attack" on the text because if it did, everyone would use them card. Yubel the ultimate nightmare on the other hand is able to attack your opponent, inflict damage equal to the opponent's monster's attack and destroy the opposing monster at the end of the damage step. Yubel also has weaknesses too. If you are going to use this card or make a deck around this card, think about what decks can hurt yubel. Here are the top tier decks used in the current meta:

1. Synchro Cat
2. Lightsworn
3. Blackwings
4. Gladiator beast

If I missed out some other top tier decks, I'm sorry. I only see decks that are played at casual, local, regionals and shonen jump. The only thing I know about synchro cat is you can bring out 2 or more synchro monsters using X-saber Airbellum with Rescue cat's effect and the assist of Summoner Monk. I'll do the best I can to research this deck so I can see if this deck has an advantage over Yubel.

Second is lightsworn. For those who are starting Yu-gi-oh or just know little of lightsworn, the goal of the deck is to summon Judgment Dragon by have Lightsworn monsters with different names in the graveyard. I've played a few lightsworn decks against my yubel deck several months ago and overall, lightsworn has an advantage over Yubel due to their ability to mill cards every turn and that brings them closer to judgment dragon. Depending on the scenario, you might be able to put your opponent in his/her tracks if he/she does not have enough life points to pay for judgment dragon's effect. Lightsworn overall really don't need judgment dragon to win duels due to Wulf, Celestia Honest(being played from the hand) and Lyla(the key card for bringing back lightsworn monster level 4 or lower).

Third is blackwing. From what I know and seen, the deck is meant to swarm and finish games quick. With this deck against yubel, its a race and unfortunately, blackwings win this one. Don't count yubel out yet because if you have yubel out, your opponent can't attack. Gale-blackwing of the whirlwind's effect is pointless to use on yubel. If you can get out yubel terror incarnate on your first turn which the probability is from 20%-30% of chance, you have a head start and need to conduct a plan to keep your opponent against the walls. Remember, just because you have yubel terror incarnate on the field does not mean you have the upper hand. Your if your opponent is an advance or an experience player, he/she will see this as an opportunity to plan something to counter attack.

Fourth is gladiator beast. These monsters all have a "tag ability" which means if one successfully attacks, it can tag out for another gladiator beast monster which when the other gladiator beast monster is special summoned, it gets its effects. Against, yubel, and yubel terror incarnate, gladiator beast see both forms as no threat because they just have to attack in order for the tagging out to work. For example, if you control "yubel and no spell/trap cards, and your opponent controls a gladiator beast, they will attack because the attack will not be negated nor will the monster be destroyed by yubel's first form. If it were yubel the ultimate nightmare, then your opponent would have to worry because they can't tag out until the battle phase is over and yubel the ultimate nightmare destroys the opponents monster at the end of the damage step. Beware for most gladiator beast players will main three waboku unless against lightsworn, they will side threatening roar.

This week, I'll finish up yubel and post a deck of yubel. I will also cover all the cards that can hurt the deck like Shadow Imprisoning mirror, Skill Drain, Royal Oppression, and other cards. Until then, keep practicing and have fun!