Removal Types

There are many kinds of removal, some better than others. Many of these have unique pros and cons, so rather than listing them everywhere across this website, here is one central ranking of them:

Move to S/T Zone > Shuffle into the Deck = Put it on top/bottom of the Deck > Return to the hand > Send to the GY > Destroy

Targeting vs Non-Targeting

Non-targeting removal is always better than targeting, as your opponent needs to consider using a card early, or risk losing it to the removal with no chance to use it. In addition, plenty of boss monsters are immune to being targeted, like our very own Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle, which gets completely ignored by non-targeting removal.

Destroy vs Send

These two types of removal are very similar, as the both trigger certain effects that activate when:

• A card is sent to the GY (e.g. Tearlaments Merrli)
• A card leaves the field (e.g. Yubel - Terror Incarnate)

Destruction in addition triggers effect that activate when:

• A card is destroyed by card effect (e.g. Unchained Soul Lord of Yama or Yubel)

Besides this difference, there is one other major drawback to destruction removal, destruction protection:

• some cards have inherent protection against destruction, like e.g. Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir
• some cards can protect other cards like e.g. Hugin the Runick Wings and Fire King Sanctuary

Return to Hand (bounce) vs Shuffle into the deck / Placing on the bottom or top of deck (shuffle)

Once again a pair of removal types that works very similar to each other, as both of them remove a card from the field without triggering any of the effects that sending and destruction do.

When it comes to Extra Deck monsters both of these types are equivalent, as an ED monster returned to the hand is shuffled into the ED. However when it comes to any other card shuffling is superior, as bouncing gives your opponent a resource back that they could use as a discard/extender or for follow up in the next turn.

Putting a card on top of the deck can also be used not just to remove a card from the opponent’s field, but rather to screw over their next draw. Even if you do not need to remove a monster from the field, using a card like Phoenix Wing Wind Blast can still be advantageous by ensuring your opponent does not draw a useful card. This can essentially turn skip the opponent in certain game states.

The only thing to look out for with shuffling and bouncing is their interaction with Primeval Planet Perlereino, as any time a Tearlaments monster is added to the MD/ED it is considered “shuffled into”, meaning Primeval Planet Perlereino can trigger.

Move to Spell/Trap Zone

The probably strongest type of removal, as it trigger no float effects at all, since there currently are no cards outside the Crystal Beast archetype that trigger when a monster is placed in the S/T zone. Besides that, most decks are simply unable to access a card placed in their S/T zone ever again, unless they use removal themself to get it out of their S/T zone (and usually into the GY).

Just like setting via Terrors of the Overroot this can be used to block a pendulum zone.

In addition there is one more unique upside to this removal type: A card in the S/T zone still counts as one your control. This means if you e.g. place Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon in the S/T zone your opponent would be unable to summon another one, as they technically still control one.

Lastly, there are a few decks that utilize placing monsters in their S/T zone and need them to be placed as the following type:

• Snake-Eye: requires them as continuous spells
• Centurion: requires them as continuous traps
• Crystal Beast: does not care if their monsters are continuous spells or traps