[RespectYGO] Here’s How to Play “Exosister” Like a Pro｜Combo Guide

Explore the Divine Synergy of “Artmage” | Archetype Starter Guide Looking for a Fusion deck that rewards smart play and scales into the grind game? Artmage from Duelist’s Advance might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. It blends magical lore with competitive mechanics, offering a flexible strategy that’s both rewarding and refreshing in today’s format. To understand what makes this deck tick, we need to start with its setting, characters, and the divine power behind it. The Theme: Magic, Lore, and Power Artmage (called Artmegia in the OCG) is set in a magical academy powered by the divine being Nerva. The story follows Medius the Pure, a student chosen to inherit Nerva’s power and become Artmage Diactorus, the archetype’s boss Fusion monster. The whole archetype feels like a mix of Sky Striker and Dogmatika, but with a more combo-oriented backbone and a magical school aesthetic that’s easy to fall in love with.   Core Cards: What You’re Working With Let’s review the cards from DUELIST ADVANCE! Medius the Pure Your main starter. When summoned, he searches a “Power Patron” monster. From the GY, he can shuffle an Artmage monster from hand or field to your Deck to Special Summon himself, but he banishes himself when he leaves the field. He’s your engine starter and extender rolled into one.   Artmage Power Patron Your walking Fusion Spell. It lets you Fusion Summon during either Main Phase and searches an Artmage Spell/Trap when sent to the GY (as long as there’s no duplicate in your GY). It locks you into Fusion Summons while on the field, but the flexibility it gives is worth it.   Artmage Finmel Level 7 Warrior. If you control another Artmage card, you can Special Summon her from your hand and draw 1 card. During either Main Phase, if you control 3 or more different Monster Types, she negates all your opponent’s face-up monster effects and halves their ATK. She also protects your Level 6 or lower Artmage monsters from being targeted by effects. Artmage Graflare Level 5 Dragon. If you control another Artmage card, he Special Summons himself from the hand. He also has a Quick Effect to destroy a Spell/Trap your opponent controls.   Artmage Litera Level 3 Spellcaster. If you control another Artmage card, she Special Summons herself and lets you add an Artmage card from your GY to your hand. During your opponent’s Main Phase, she can Special Summon an Artmage monster from your hand or GY, then bounce herself back to your hand. Artmage Diactorus The main fusion monster of the archetype. Diactorus is your go-to boss monster that can help negate threats on the field for as long as your have 3 or more different monster types on the field. It also floats to 1 Medius the Pure when destroyed.   Nerva the Power Patron of Creation The archetype’s boss monster that requires 3 Artmage monsters to Fusion summon or by simply tributing any 3 monsters with different types. With the help of an activating Artmage monster effects, you can wipe your opponent’s entire board.   Artmage Academic Arcane Arts Acropolis The Field Spell. It boosts consistency and grants protection. You’ll want to see this early.   Artmage Varnish -Alteration- Your field spell or Artmage card searcher in one. It also has a handy effect that negates an opponent’s attack.   Artmage Masterwork -Succession- A Quick-Play Fusion Spell that gives you reactive plays and combo flexibility. It also lets your recycle 3 Artmage cards helping you in the grind games. Artmage Vandalism -Assault- This spell card searches your “Medius the Pure” when activated making it a good search for Artmage Graflare. It can help turning your monster into Artmage so it can be used as a Fusion material and acts as a protection to your field spell.   Theorealize This Spell card mainly supports Medius the Pure by sending it from your Deck to the GY as a cost to look at your opponent’s top Deck. The main issue is that Artmage wants to see more Spell/Trap to feed Acropolis’ search effect so you may not have the monster to offer so Medius can revive. It is still a decent starter nonetheless.   Artmage Pact -Awakening- It’s another consistency piece when you are halted by hand traps on your turn or a disruption tool. It can also help fulfill the 3 different type monster requirement of most of your Artmage’s additional effects. New Support from Doom of Dimensions Three new cards just revealed in Doom of Dimensions give Artmage even more tools to work with: Theorealize Overdrive Quick-Play Spell You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn. (1) Target 1 “Medius the Pure” in your GY or banishment; Special Summon it. (2) During your Main Phase: You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 face-up monster you control and declare a Level from 1 to 10; its Level becomes the declared Level until the end of this turn. === A decent late-game extender for Medius. The level-changing effect doesn’t do much in pure Artmage, but it could matter in hybrid builds.   Artmage Movement -Lineage- Normal Spell Card You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate either of this card’s effects, except Fusion Monsters. (1) If your opponent controls more monsters than you do: Special Summon 1 “Artmage” monster from your Deck in Defense Position, with a different name from the cards you control. (2) If this card is sent to the GY to activate the effect of “Artmage Academic Arcane Arts Acropolis”: You can add 1 “Artmage” Trap from your GY or banishment to your hand. === The first effect is solid for going second, but only works best going second. The second effect is more reliable—recycling Traps like Pact -Awakening- or Turmoil gives you more staying power.   Artmage Peripeteia -Turmoil- Normal Trap Card You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn. You cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn you activate either of this card’s effects, except Fusion Monsters. (1) Target 1 monster in your opponent’s GY; return 1 “Artmage” monster you control to the hand/Extra Deck, and if you do, Special Summon the targeted monster to your field, but its effects are negated. (2) If this card is sent to the GY to activate the effect of “Artmage Academic Arcane Arts Acropolis”: You can add 1 “Artmage” Spell from your GY or banishment to your hand. === Easily the best of the three. It disrupts your opponent’s graveyard and helps you hit the 3-monster-type requirement for your boss monsters. The second effect gives you free Spell recursion, which is huge in grind games.   Strengths and Weaknesses What It Does Well: Fusion Summons during either turn Strong recursion and resource loops Built-in backrow and monster effect disruption Gorgeous art and a cohesive theme What to Watch Out For: Medius getting hit by Ash Blossom or Droll can hurt Needs setup—going second without extenders can be rough Fusion lock from Artmage Power Patron and other Spell/Traps limits splashability with other engines   Sample Decklist (OCG) Final Thoughts Artmage is one of those decks that rewards smart play without being overly punishing. It’s not autopilot, but it’s not a brick-fest either. You’ve got combo lines, disruption, recursion, and a theme that actually feels cohesive. If you’re a returning player looking for something new, or a competitive duelist scouting the next rogue sleeper, this deck is worth your time. It’s not just a Fusion deck—it’s a flexible, flavorful strategy that can hold its own. 🗓️ Artmage officially drops in the Asian English release of Duelist’s Advance on Saturday, July 19, 2025. This has been ArcKnight of RespectYGO. Happy Dueling!  

Top 10 Decks You Should Watch Out For - Post July 2025 AE Banlist And just like that, another format is upon us. The July 2025 Forbidden and Limited List for Asian English is here—and it’s shaking things up in a big way. While Ryzeal took a hard hit with the limits to Ext Ryzeal and Sword Ryzeal, one of the biggest shocks was the sudden fall of Abyss Dweller, going from unlimited straight to forbidden. With DUELIST ADVANCE just around the corner, let’s explore the decks that are about to define this new AE format—and maybe even help you climb that next local or regional ladder. July 2025 Asian English List Here’s a quick snapshot of the July 1, 2025 AE list:   「NEWLY FORBIDDEN」 Abyss Dweller (3 ⇒ 0) Kaiser Colosseum (1 ⇒ 0) Summon Limit (1 ⇒ 0) 「NEWLY LIMITED」 Dimension Shifter (3 ⇒ 1) Ext Ryzeal (3 ⇒ 1) Sword Ryzeal (3⇒ 1) Bonfire (2 ⇒ 1) 「SEMI-LIMITED」 Fiendsmith Engraver (3 ⇒ 2) PSY-Framegear Gamma (3 ⇒ 2) Fiendsmith’s Tract (3 ⇒ 2) Gold Sarcophagus (3 ⇒ 2) Top AE Decks to Try This Format 1. Maliss Untamed. Unhinged. Unstoppable? With just a tiny slap on the wrist to Gold Sarcophagus, Maliss remains at full throttle. Apollousa still reigns in AE, and the engine runs scary smooth. Expect to see Maliss dominate unless players come prepared—with Artifact Lancea and Chaos Hunter locked and loaded. View all “Maliss” cards here.   2. Atlantean Mermail With Abyss Dweller gone, this water army is flowing freely again. From OTK options to brutal “hand-rip” setups thanks to Moulinglacia, Mermail may just make waves again. Don’t be surprised if it floods your local meta. View all “Atlantean” cards here. View all “Mermail” cards here.   3. Blue-Eyes An iconic pick—and a personal favorite. The Primite build has real staying power even in a Maxx “C”-infested world. Set it up right, and Blue-Eyes can still drop a board that screams, “Try breaking this!” View all “Blue-Eyes” cards here.   4. Crystron Crystron Halqifibrax is alive and well here in AE, and Crystron makes the most of it. With flexible Synchro lines and combo routes into Cyber Dragon Infinity, it’s a thinking man’s toolbox deck that rewards precision and grind game mastery. View all “Crystron” cards here.   5. Yubel Once trampled by Ryzeal’s Detonator and Dweller, Yubel’s time to shine might just be now. The Fiendsmith variant is poised for a comeback, and its layered strategy and board disruption make it a thrilling underdog pick. View all “Yubel” cards here.   6. Vanquish Soul Incoming consistency bump via DUELIST ADVANCE, and then a potential turbo-mode with Justice Hunters in August (hello K9 engine). If you're looking to invest early into a sleeper deck with lots of room to grow, VS might be it. View all “Vanquish Soul” cards here.   7. White Forest Azamina A solid all-rounder. Good end boards, solid recovery, and steady consistency. While not flashy, it’s the kind of deck that rewards smart play and punishes sloppy opponents. Plus, it's still relatively off-meta, giving it the element of surprise. View all “White Forest” cards here 8. Rescue-Ace Despite some Fiendsmith tuning via semi-limits to Engraver and Tract, Rescue-Ace hasn’t lost its fire. With all its core cards intact and explosive first-turn setups, it’s still one of the strongest go-first decks out there. View the “Rescue-Ace Tactical Try Deck” here 9. Sky Striker Still flying high. With fresh boosts coming in DUELIST ADVANCE, Striker gains that extra spark in both consistency and aggression. OG pilots will love the support, and curious newcomers may find a new waifu in Raye. View all the “Sky Striker” cards here.   10. Ryzeal It’s down—but not out. Seventh Tachyon is still unlimited, and the new Onomat support could breathe fresh life into the archetype. For spice? Mix in the Shark Engine with Surfacing Big Jaws and Drake Shark, or tech in Small World for consistency patches. View all “Ryzeal” cards here. Final Thoughts Sure, this list feels like déjà vu for some—closely mirroring certain OCG trends. But there’s still plenty of room to carve out a unique path. Some decks remain untouched, and that’s an opportunity. At the end of the day, nothing beats jamming with a deck you know inside-out and love piloting. Got your favorite picked out yet? Share them in the comments! This has been ArcKnight of RespectYGO. Happy Dueling!

How to take your “Rescue-Ace” deck to the next level? |Featured Article With the Rescue-ACE Tactical-Try Deck finally released in Asian English, duelists across the region now have access to one of the most powerful archetypes to grace the field. But once you’ve played a few rounds, you might start asking—where do I go from here? This guide walks you through the essential upgrades that can elevate your deck from off-the-shelf to locals-ready in no time. What You’re Working With Below, you’ll see the contents of TACTICAL TRY DECK: Rescue-Ace. Right out of the box, Rescue-ACE gives you a taste of battlefield control. Cards like Alert, Contain, and Turbulence help you set the tempo with quick-play recursion and trap negates, while Hydrant anchors the strategy as the heart of your emergency operations. Add in the reprints like Ash Blossom, Maxx “C”, and Infinite Impermanence, and you’ve got solid foundations—but real power comes from customization. Tech Cards and Engines to Explore To supercharge your Rescue-ACE deck, consider integrating these high-impact engines and tech options. Each one brings something unique—whether it’s opening lines, protecting your win conditions, or dodging disruptive hand traps. 1. Fiendsmith Engine A rising favorite for control-style builds, the Fiendsmith engine brings protection and pressure. Fiendsmith Desirae acts as in-theme disruption, offering quick negation while also providing Link fodder for Promethean Princess or Apollousa. Plus, this engine creates bait windows early in your turn—drawing out hand traps so your Turbulence setup resolves cleanly. What you need: ·       2-3 Fiendsmith Engraver ·       1 Lacrima the Crimson Tear ·       1-2 Fiendsmith Tract ·       1 Fiendsmith’s Requiem ·       1 Fiendsmith’s Sequentia ·       1 Fiendsmith’s Desirae ·       1 Fabled Lurrie ·       1 Fiendsmith’s Lacrima 2. S:P Little Night Arguably the strongest generic Link monster available today, S:P Little Night is a dream support piece for Rescue-ACE. Its banish effect not only disrupts your opponent mid-combo but also shields Turbulence from targeting negates. When sequenced properly, it ensures you can resolve your trap-setting effects uninterrupted—key to snowballing advantage. 3. Sinful Spoils Engine If consistency is what you crave, this engine delivers. With just Diabellestar the Black Witch, Original Sinful Spoils Snake-Eye, and WANTED: Sinful Spoils Hunter, you gain near-instant access to Rescue-ACE Hydrant. 4. PSY-Frame Gamma Engine Still unlimited in the Asian English card pool, the Gamma package is a nasty surprise for your opponent. It cleanly shuts down Ash Blossom, Maxx “C”, or Mulcharmy Fuwalos/Purulia, letting your power cards resolve while offering bonus bodies for Link climbing. Final Thoughts Upgrading Rescue-ACE isn’t about going all-in on high rarity staples—it’s about finding the right engines that mesh with the archetype’s strengths: versatility, reactivity, and timing. These engines don’t just patch weaknesses—they empower Rescue-ACE to play on its terms, no matter the matchup. Got a combo line or spicy tech of your own? Let the community know—we’re all ears and Emergency! buttons. This has been ArcKnight of RespectYGO. Happy Dueling!