How do I fit Xyz Monsters into my Extra Deck?

The release of Xyz monsters has caused Duelists worldwide to ask
themselves the same question: “How can I fit all of these new monsters
into my already full Extra Deck?” The key is to optimize your Extra
Deck to contain only the monsters that really help you out and leave out
the ones you rarely, if ever, use. It may be hard to figure out which
Synchro and Fusion Monsters you’ll need to take out, but here are some
tips you can use to help you fit some Xyz Monsters in your Extra Deck.



When you make a Deck, you want it to have a strategy which you
execute in every Duel. A lot of Duelists use certain Synchro Monsters
that help their strategy. For example, Revived King Ha Des is an important part of Zombie Decks, and T.G. Wonder Magician is useful for Tech Genus Decks. They also use powerful Synchro Monsters that are good in any Deck, like Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.

But they also use Synchro Monsters that they can technically Summon but probably never will, like Blackwing Armor Master in a Deck that has no Blackwings but might Monster Reborn a Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind.
If you need some space for Xyz Monsters in your Extra Deck, these are
the first monsters to remove since they don’t help with the strategy of
your Deck.

Some Decks run multiple copies of some Synchros, even if they hardly ever Summon more than one. Two examples of this are Stardust Dragon, and Black Rose Dragon.
Their awesome abilities have landed them in just about every Extra
Deck. Some people even run two or even three copies of these cards, but
chances are, they never Summon more than one. If you remove the extra
copies that you never Summon from your Extra Deck, then you’ll have room
to fit in some Xyz Monsters and gain access to a wider range of
strategies to defeat your opponents.

Most Duelists have 15 cards in their Extra Deck, even if some of
these cards are extremely difficult or impossible to Summon in their
Deck! To free up some space in your Extra Deck, you should assess how
often you can play certain monsters. For example, if you have an Arcanite Magician
in your Extra Deck, but only 1 Spellcaster-type non-Tuner monster in
your entire Deck, you’re going to have a lot of trouble trying to Summon
it.

Number 17: Leviathan Dragon, and Number 39: Utopia are
two great replacements for cards like that. Since Xyz monsters are so
much easier to Summon than Synchro or Fusion Monsters (all you have to
do is have monsters on the field with matching Levels), they’re a great
replacement in your Extra Deck for those tricky to Summon Synchros.

One potential trend that we could start seeing in competitive play is
the addition of Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Monsters into Side Decks.
You’re allowed to swap appropriate cards from your Side Deck into your
Extra Deck between games, which can give you an edge against unexpected
Decks. A handful of Duelists already do this, but it will be much more
common now that Xyz Monsters are around!

Two great monsters to have in your Side Deck are Chimeratech Fortress Dragon and Ally of Justice Decisive Armor.
These monsters shouldn’t be in your Extra Deck all the time, due to
their situational nature, but you can keep them in your Side Deck just
in case you come up against a Deck with lots of Machines or LIGHT
monsters. This gives your Extra Deck space to include some new cards
that’ll be more useful in more matchups! If you really don’t want to
remove some Synchros completely, put them in your Side Deck for when you
think you’ll need them.

It might seem like a daunting task to remove some monsters from your
Extra Deck to fit in Xyz Monsters, but with the right know-how it’s
easy. Just remember:

1. Use the monsters that work well with the strategy of your Deck.

2. Don’t include too many copies of certain cards.

3. Try to avoid really hard-to-Summon monsters unless they’re important to your Deck.

4. Don’t forget about your Side Deck! If you’re having trouble
taking out a monster, remember that you can put it in your Side Deck
instead.

Xyz Monsters are already revolutionizing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD
GAME, so follow the tips listed here to make sure you have enough room
in your Extra Deck to play with them!