Yu-Gi-Oh! is a game that has constantly evolved over the years. As time has gone by, wanting to go second is a dying tactic. Outside of one-turn kill decks, you almost always want to be going first. Regardless, based on your strategy, you may have to settle for going second.
With how powerful going first boards can be, you will need to stack your deck with cards that can break those boards. Luckily, there have been many cards released that have helped to boost going second strategies. These cards should find their way into nearly every going second deck, and even have a place in the side deck for any deck.
Updated May 4, 2022, by Johnny Garcia: Yu-Gi-Oh! continues to grow, with new sets releasing all throughout the year to keep the meta fresh. For the TCG, the banlist season is here, and duelists are keeping their eyes peeled on the banlist to see what cards and decks are going to get hit (or unbanned in some cases). For digital players, Master Duel has gotten a few new updates. The first wave of new cards has been added into the game, making progress to becoming up to date with the current card pool. Even a Master Duel-specific banlist has been released to hit a few of the problem decks.
15 Raigeki
Raigeki is one of the oldest cards in the game, released in the very first Yu-Gi-Oh! set. Despite its age, it is still one of the best Spell cards out there. Its effect is simple, Raigeki will destroy all Monsters that the opponent controls.
Against decks that do not have a lot of built-in protection, Raigeki can take care of the whole board before you start your plays. It’s useful for going second as if it isn’t negated, you can equalize the board state. It even helps to bait out negates so you can use your more important effects, as otherwise, the opponent will lose most, if not all of their Monsters.
14 Harpie’s Feather Duster
Harpie’s Feather Duster is one of the best backrow removal cards in the entire game, so much so that it is currently limited on the banlist. Harpie’s Feather Duster will destroy all Spell and Trap cards the opponent controls for no extra cost or activation requirement.
Against backrow heavy decks, it can be a complete blowout. It takes care of problem floodgates and forces the opponent to activate all their cards before they lose it to Harpie’s Feather Duster. It’s especially useful for going second, as that is when the opponent will have all of their backrow set.
13 Red Reboot
Red Reboot is one of the best Counter Trap cards in the game, and can completely shut down any deck playing Trap cards. Whenever the opponent activates a Trap card, you can negate it and set it face-down. Afterward, the opponent can not activate any other Trap cards for the rest of that turn. It does let the opponent set another Trap from their deck, however.
This is hardly a downside, as when going second you are generally ending the game on that turn. Being able to essentially turn off the opponent’s deck when they’re playing a lot of Trap cards is what makes Red Reboot one of the best going second cards ni Yu-Gi-Oh!
12 Alpha, The Master Of Beasts
Alpha, The Master Of Beasts has one of the most efficient effects when it comes to removing Monsters. It can return Monsters on your opponent’s field to the hand without targeting. This gets around almost every form of protection, allowing for Alpha to clear out the opponent’s problem Monsters easily.
Alpha, The Master Of Beasts is useful for going second decks since it can special summon itself so long as the Monsters on the opponent’s field have more combined Attack than your Monsters. If you can bring out other Beast, Beast-Warrior, and Winged Beast Monsters, you can bounce even more Monsters with Alpha’s effect.
11 Winged Dragon Of Ra - Sphere Mode
Winged Dragon Of Ra - Sphere Mode is one of the best cards for going second in decks that don’t need their normal summon. To summon it, you can tribute three Monsters on the opponent’s side of the field. They do get the Monster, but Winged Dragon Of Ra - Sphere Mode is generally going to be nothing but a Monster that sits on their field.
Very few Monsters have protection from being tributed, making Winged Dragon Of Ra - Sphere Mode one of the best going second cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! when going up against a deck that sets up a lot of negates, as it can easily get rid of them by simply tributing them away.
10 Triple Tactics Talent
Triple Tactics Talent is a card that can only be used if your opponent activated a Monster’s effect during the Main Phase. If they do, then you are rewarded with being able to use one of three effects that are shared with cards that are currently banned.
You have the option to activate The Forceful Sentry, Change Of Heart, or even the iconic Pot Of Greed. These cards are banned for a reason, and being able to use them after getting a card negated by a Monster can be game-changing.
9 Kaiju Monsters
Decks that want to go first generally do so in order to set up a bunch of Monsters that can negate any cards you play in order to win. Often, these Boss Monsters have built-in protection, making them even harder to take care of.
Luckily, the Kaiju line-up of Monsters can take quick care of any of these problem Monsters. Kaiju’s tribute a Monster on the opponent’s field in order to Special Summon them there. While it does give your opponent a high Attack Monster, getting rid of a card that stops you from playing the game is more than worth it.
8 Forbidden Droplet
Cards that can blanket negate entire fields are always going to be good. Forbidden Droplet is not just one of those cards, but one that cannot be responded to. It does require a bit of a sink, as you must send cards from your hand or field to negate the effects of the opponent’s Monsters.
Not every deck can run Forbidden Droplet, but its powerful negate capability is one that can be taken advantage of by the ones that can. Decks that want their cards in the Graveyard take the most advantage of it, as not only does it stop the opponent’s Monsters, but sets up your Graveyard for future plays.
7 Dark Ruler No More
Dark Ruler No More came out in the meta-defining Gold Sarcophagus Tin, and created one of the best going second cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! There are no requirements for using it, with the only downside being that you cannot deal damage to your opponent’s Life Points the turn it is used.
This cost is minimal, as you will always choose that over letting your opponent keep a field. Dark Ruler No More can set the opponent back greatly, and allow you to snowball into a victory, especially after your own board develops.
6 Super Polymerization
Super Polymerization is a card that not only can get rid of two or more problem Monsters but will give you a solid Monster to start building up your own board. It’s a Quick-Play Spell, meaning it can be used on either player’s turn. It’s so good going second as you can fuse away your opponent’s negates before they can even use them.
It also only requires a discard of any card to use, which can even give you more advantages. Super Polymerization’s ability is one of the best in the game, and thanks to generic Fusion Monsters can almost always be used.
5 Infinite Impermanence
Infinite Impermanence is one of the best Trap cards in the entire game. While most Traps are required to be Set first, Infinite Impermanence can be used from the hand, so long as you don’t control any other cards. A blanket Monster negate in some cases can completely end a turn, which is what makes it such a good going second card.
Infinite Impermanence is still good even if the opportunity to use it doesn’t come up, as its ability to negate the column is sometimes relevant. Its versatility is fantastic and it should be a staple in almost every deck.
4 Ghost Girl Hand Traps
Ghost Girls are a pseudo-Archetype consisting of Monsters that can be discarded in order to prevent some kind of card effect from going off. Ghost Belle And Haunted Mansion can prevent cards from leaving the Graveyard, and Ash Blossom And Joyous Springs can do the same but for the deck.
The Ghost Girl Hand Traps are always relevant, with different ones jumping into the forefront depending on the meta. There are so many uses for the Ghost Girls Hand Traps, and even if they aren’t used for negating, their status as a Tuner allows you to go into Crystron Halqifibrax.
3 Lightning Storm
Lightning Storm became a staple for going second decks in Yu-Gi-Oh! from the moment it was released. So long as you control no face-up cards, it could be activated. Lightning Storm can either destroy all Spell and Trap cards or all Attack Position Monsters.
Lightning Storm is such a powerful going second card because it can hit both Monster focused decks and backrow focused decks. This allows you to comfortably stick it into the Main Deck, as there will seldom be a time it’s not useful once the second turn starts.
2 Nibiru, The Primal Being
Nibiru, the Primal Being was the highlight of the Gold Sarcophagus Tin, becoming one of the most played cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! It is one of the best counters to combo decks, and those who are not expecting it will likely be forced to end their turn.
Once five summons have occurred, you can drop Nibiru, the Primal Being which sends all the Monsters to the Graveyard, with only a token being given to the opponent. You get to keep a 3000 Attack Monster as well, which can be used to get rid of the token you just made, as well as to start off Link plays.
1 Evenly Matched
Evenly Matched is one of the best removal cards in Yu-Gi-Oh! It is a Trap card, but one that can be activated so long as you control no other cards. When used, it forces your opponent to banish cards facedown until you both control the same number of cards. Since Evenly Matched will likely be the only card you control, this leaves them with just one card.
Evenly Matched, despite the name, puts the duel drastically in your favor. While losing the Battle Phase can hurt, wiping the opponent’s field of both Monsters, Spell, and Trap cards is too good of an effect to worry about that.
