Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel: Swordsoul deck build (2022)

In May 2022, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel saw the addition of a powerful archetype that was previously only in the TCG but is now featured in the mobile, PC, and console game: Swordsoul. This archetype brings a wide array of Wyrm Monsters and makes good use of another archetype in the game: the Tenyi. Combine them together and you have a deck that can negate, destroy, attack, and beat many other deck builds in Master Duel.

So, what should a Swordsoul deck look like in Master Duel? Let’s go over our recommendations for cards that you should use with these archetypes.

Monsters

Swordsoul Monsters are pivotal to setting up big plays. Here’s a look at recommended cards:

• (x3) Maxx “C” – Handtrap that adds draw power, as one card can be added to your hand per Special Summon during the turn it was activated. Very helpful in also dissuading opposing players from swarming the field.
• (x3) Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring – Can negate a multitude of different cards, including Maxx “C.”
• (x3) Swordsoul of Mo Ye – Key piece of this deck. 4* Monster than when Normal or Special Summoned, can also Summon a normal, 4* Swordsoul token. Used to summon an 8* Synchro Monster. Needs another Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster in hand, in order to get the token effect off.
• (x3) Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan – Can Special Summon itself by discarding a Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster card to GY. Also, Summons token can be used for Supreme Sovereign or Baronne de Fleur.
• (x2) Swordsoul of Taia – 4* Swordsoul Monster that can Summon a token, if another Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster is banished.
• (x2-x3) Incredible Ecclessia, the Virtuous – Can be Special Summoned if the opponent controls more Monsters. Can be tributed, and can Special Summon a Swordsoul Monster (usually Mo Ye) from the deck. Can also be added to hand (from GY) if a Fusion Monster (DPE) was sent to GY during the turn.
• (x2-x3) Tenyi Spirit – Adhara – Can be Special Summoned, much like other Tenyi Monsters, from hand, if the user controls no Effect Monsters. If you control a non-Effect Monster, can banish the card from hand or GY, and then target and add another banished Wyrm Monster.
• (x2-x3) Tenyi Spirit Ashuna – Can be banished, and then Special Summon a Tenyi Monster from the deck. Can only Special Summon Wyrm Monsters for the remainder of the turn, after this effect goes off.
• (x2) Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda – Mainly used to be banished from GY, and then target and send a card the opponent controls back to hand.
• (x1) Tenyi Spirit – Shthana – Can pop Monster if a non-Effect Monster you control is destroyed by battle or card effect.
• (x1) Archnemesis Protos (optional) – Wyrm Monster that can be Special Summoned by banishing three Monsters with different Attributes from GY and/or field. Can declare an attribute and then destroy all Monster with it. Then, you prevent any Monsters with it to be Special Summoned until the end of the next turn.
• (x1) Deskbot 001 (optional) – Tuner that can be used in conjunction with Halqifibrax.
• (x1) Destiny HERO – Celestial (optional) – Used to Summon Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Can also be banished, and allow the user to draw two cards if the player has none in hand.
• (x1) Destiny HERO – Dasher (optional) – Used to Summon Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Can also Special Summon any Monster drawn once, while this card is in GY.
• (x1-x2) Effect Veiler (optional) – Handtrap that can target and negate a Monster effect. Also can be used for Halqifibrax’s effect.

In most cases, the goal is to set up the board, in order to get Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixloa and Baronne de Fleur out on Turn 1. This can be done with Mo Ye and/or Taia and the various Tenyi Monsters, followed by Strategist Longyuan for the latter card. Turn 2 does get a bit more complicated, but a card like Supreme Sovereign can get the job done.

Spells

Now, let’s go over the Spells:

• (x3) Swordsoul Emergence – Adds one Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster (if you control a Synchro Monster) from deck to hand. Helps with adding Mo Ye or Strategist Longyuan to hand, and can also either increase or decrease a Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster’s Level by one.
• (x3) Crossout Designator – Can negate handtraps staples, and Spell/Trap staples that are also run in your deck. A very strong option for negating in mirror matches (i.e. matches against Swordsoul decks)
• (x2-x3) Forbidden Droplet – Quick-Play Spell that can reduce ATK of opponent’s Monster, and negate its effect at cost of sending cards to GY from hand or field, equal to the number of targeted Monsters.
• (x2) Called by the Grave – Banishes Monster from opponent’s GY and negates its effects. Mainly used to negate handtraps.
• (x2) Heavenly Dragon Circle (optional) – Quick-Play Spell that can tribute a Wyrm Monster and either add another one to hand or can Special Summon one if a non-Effect Monster was tributed. Can also be banished and add a Tenyi Monster to hand.
• (x2) Vessel for the Dragon Cycle (optional) – Can send a Wyrm Monster (i.e. Vishuda or Ashuna) to GY from the deck, and if a non-Effect Monster is on the field (i.e. Monk), can add a Tenyi Monster to hand.
• (x2) Fusion Destiny (optional) – Used to Fusion Summon Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Should only be used if using DPE, and Destiny HERO Monsters.
• (x1-x2) Lightning Storm (optional) – Not needed, but can be used to remove cards from the field. Destroys Attack Position or Spell/Trap Cards from the opponent’s side of the field. Must possess no face-up cards to activate.
• (x1) Harpie’s Feather Duster (optional) – Staple Spell that destroys all Spells/Traps on the opponent’s side of the field. Can be used in lieu of Lightning Storm.

Cards like Crossout Designator, Harpie’s Feather Duster, Forbidden Droplet, and Lightning Storm can be lifesavers, should you go second. Additionally, Swordsoul Emergence is a pivotal piece, and really is the only card here that is a must for three copies.

Traps

This deck can make good use of Traps. Here’s a look at recommended options:

• (x1) Swordsoul Blackout – Used either for discarding with Strategist, or to pop cards.
• (x1-x2) Infinite Impermanence (optional) – Trap Card that can also be used as handtrap. Can negate a Monster’s effect, and if set, can also negate effects of any card in that column for the remainder of the turn.

Extra Deck

Here’s a look at the Extra Deck options:

• (x3) Monk of the Tenyi – Link 1 Monster. Mainly used to get Tenyi Monsters in GY, to get off effects that activate in GY.
• (x1-x2) Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixlao – 8* Synchro Monster. Can negate an Effect Monster’s effects, and allows for the user to add a Swordsoul or Wyrm Monster from the deck upon its summon.
• (x1-x2) Baronne de Fleur – 10* Synchro Monster. Key floodgate that can negate card effects, and pop cards. Can also send itself back to Extra Deck, to bring Level 5 or lower Monster back from GY to field.
• (x1) Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign – Chengying – 10* Synchro Monster. Gains ATK for each card banished and can banish two cards (one from field, one from GY) on the opponent’s side when the card gets banished.
• (x1) Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing – 7* Synchro Monster. Can’t be targeted by card effects by an opponent, and can Special Summon one Wyrm Monster from the deck when destroyed by battle or card effect.
• (x1) Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing – 8* Synchro Monster. Can send cards back to the opponent’s deck, up to the number of cards used for its Synchro Summon.
• (x1) Draco Berserker of the Tenyi – 8* Synchro Monster. 3000 ATK beater than can banish Monster that activates its effect from opponent’s side of the field.
• (x1) Crimson Blader (optional) – 8* Synchro Monster. Can prevent an opponent from Normal or Special Summon Level 5 or higher Monsters for the next turn, if it destroys the opponent’s Monster via battle.
• (x1) Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer (optional) – Staple fusion that can be summoned with Destiny HERO Monsters and Fusion Destiny. Can pop cards, and come back continuously.
• (x1) Predaplant Verte Anaconda (optional) –  Link 2 Monster that can be used to summon Phoenix Enforcer via sending Fusion Destiny to GY with its effect.
• (x1) Crystron Halqifibrax (optional) – Link 2 Monster that can make use of Deskbot and/or Effect Veiler. Mainly can be used as an extender.
• (x1) Knightmare Unicorn (optional) – Link 3 Monster that can target one card on the field and shuffle it into the deck.
• (x1) Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess (optional) – Link 4 Monster that acts as a major Floodgate thanks to its negation ability. Mainly a Turn 1 target.
• (x1) Accesscode Talker (optional) – Link 4 Monster that should be Special Summoned with Link 3 Monster, as it can raise Accesscode’s ATK to 5300. Can also pop cards on the opponent’s side of the field.

Obviously, there is a maximum of 15 in the Extra Deck. However, this can include multiple copies of a number of necessary cards, like the aforementioned Baronne de Fleur, or Chixlao, The Extra Deck Monsters are the most important cards here, and the ones that will be most used are Chixlao, Baronne, and Chengying.

Swordsouls are quite popular in Master Duel as of this writing, and for a good reason. Not only does this deck have a lot of firepower, but it also isn’t particularly difficult to learn.