#extra link

EXTRA LINK!

it’s 100% possible and actually not that hard

I bricked hard against a bot, on turn 5, with a single Lady Debug and One Time Passcode I made an Extra Link nice

Now this is far from overdue and into the months of me getting back into the game I did lots of research so I could become familiar with the games mechanics; at this point they are the ravings of (as most competitive players would say) a casual but it is something I wanted to kind of put out there. Of course I am talking about Extra Links. ~~~~~~~~~ Extra Link, as defined by Konami is when a series of Link monsters are Co-Linked connecting both Extra Monster Zones. Now this can be done by one player or both should links connect them. Often times this is a serious commitment to the board and establishing fields that can or would be otherwise unbreakable: now that is of course just regarding one player; sometimes involving multiple monsters that can or would otherwise replace themselves or leave behind a token of some kind. As we have seen tokens are invaluable with Link monsters being prevalent. Now don’t get me wrong with the way the game is and how Link Monsters were designed as a way to “slow down the game”, retiring the power houses that were combo synchro, XYZ spam, and Pendulum. Forcing these styles of decks to slow down considerably keeping monsters summoned from the Extra Deck confines to the Extra Zone of which you may only control one Extra Zone unless it is a zone linked with a Link Monster. Facing off against a deck that can Extra Link you on turn one is by far the worst feeling imaginable. Your opponent utterly locking you out of your own extra deck reminds me of the same days where you would be Djinn Locked, or put you into a position where you are not able to special summon any monsters (Vanity’s Emptiness comes to mind). Shutting you from major mechanics that the game is built on. Now of course you are able to use your opponents link arrows; if any; to summon your own Extra Deck monsters but some will purposely use Links with no arrows pointing to the opponents zones further cementing the lock. Even being in a position where they can negate an effect or their destruction entirely. This means out is clearly a lose/lose scenario. With the right fields a player can be stopped dead in their tracks and forced to try and break through or lose. This makes the game no slower then any other formats prior to Master Rule 4. I understand the attempt is there, but practically it’s not slowing down they’re almost no different from the FTK/OTK decks that they try to preemptively hit every so often. It is something I find problematic and in terms of the games longevity I am not sure what awaits us on the horizon. All we seem to be missing is the banning of a powerful Link Monster; I am not sure what that monster will be but will be within some time of Links lifespan. Perhaps it will come down to a gentleman’s agreement every game; good game, have fun, and don’t Extra Link me.