The Yugioh "Setting"

(Set yourself up for the advantage next turn)

A dramatic shift in the way we play yugioh has occurred.

This new metagame will bring back one element of yugioh we haven't seen, very popular, in more than a year.

So what element is it and why was it gone so long?

Setting monsters, flip effects, and monster stall.

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Where did it go?

Thanks to Gladiator beasts reigning supreme for so long, the ability to set monsters was extremely curtailed. Why set a monster if it's effect won't stop the tag of the gladiator beast, and can it handle 2 or more glads?


Imagine 2 glads attacking into a set Old Vindictive Magician. The best move the opponent can do, as to picking which glad he should kill with the Magicians effect, would be the glad that hasn't attacked yet.

But what about the Glad that attacked into the Magician? Not much we can do there but watch that glad tag out.


Gladiator beasts completely wrecked our ability to set, and it removed that element of the game.

Even setting a spirit reaper or a Marshmallon, couldn't save us from the Glad's wrath. It took a tiny Murmillo to tag in and destroy it, and do away with our mighty barrier.

And don't even get me started about Bestiari and his peaceful cousin Gyzarus, setting spells and traps, let alone monsters, at that point became dangerous.

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Fall from Grace

Even when Glads fell and Tele-Dad reigned supreme we still were unable to set monsters and abuse their effects.

The sheer speed of Tele-Dad was mind blowing and to set a monster for that turn was asking for an OTK(one turn kill).

You had stardust to take care of most pesky flip effects, and Dad to take care of any monster stall.

Not to mention that people could easily sacrifice for a Caius, ruining your chance of setting off any monster effect whatsoever.

There were just so many ways to take care of face downs, that no one wanted to set a monster against Tele-Dad.


The old days, the new days

Back in the past, as much as 20-40% of most decks consisted of monsters that were made to be set.

In the above 2 metagames, you'd be lucky to find even 2% of a deck dedicated to monsters that are set.

We're in a new metagame now, and everyone is trying to find that lucky percentage again.
We all can agree it will be much more than the previous metagame's we've been in, but how much more?


How many monsters should new decks reserve for setting? What monsters should be chosen?

Here's a list of some monsters you should look over, to add to your new arsenal of setting:

• Penguin Soldier
• Mysterious Guard
• Arcana Force 0 - The Fool
• Obsidian Dragon
• Newdoria
• Brain Jacker
• Sand Moth
• Spear Cretin
• Nightmare Penguin
• D.D Warrior / Warrior Lady
• Hane Hane
• Yomi Ship
• Night Assailant
• Kelbek
• Wall of Illusion
• Neko Mane King
• Old Vindictive Magician
• Man Eater Bug
• Obnoxious Celtic Guardian
• Spirit Reaper
• Marshmallon
• Magical Merchant
• Cobra Jar
• Gravekeeper's Spy

And Many More!!!

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What to look out for


A lot of you are probably thinking right now of Glad Beasts and wondering how that might affect your play.

It's true that Glad Beasts, at least in my local tourney, are a force to be reckoned with.

But as long as they don't rule our metagame and as long as we can tech and side deck against them, we should all be o.k.

Nonetheless, keep this on your radar and keep analyzing your local tourney. If no one is playing glad beasts there, than you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

If you find your area is swarming with them, then you might want to limit or remove your setting ability.

Remember since Organized Play is temporarily gone for the moment you should be more focused on your local tourney than on what people in Georgia or New York are playing or teching.

To our readers in Georgia or New York, think instead of Montana and California :D