Notes & Combos

Having already done well this season, this Lab build is practically a clone of the early M1 deck from December that can be found here:

https://www.masterduelmeta.com/top-decks/master-i/december-2023/labrynth/jay-in-4k/TdBcD

Thus, it's another entry that's all about blending tight advantages, sharp positioning, and high card quality to get across the finish line - resulting this time in a pretty fast and smooth run to Dlv. Max.

Notes:

• Daruma Cannon remains an all-star piece of interaction in Lab's arsenal, gaining even more relevancy with the uptick in Kashtira lately. It has essentially become a necessity in this format that has been dictated by early favorable board states, and with that, having it in multiples here continues to pay dividends.

• Despite Beginning of the Next Journey's release, Dimensional Barrier distinctly stays excluded from this list. Branded and Mannadium haven't worked themselves in a position to warrant slotting Barrier back in, so the card upholds its pre-Next Journey status as hit or miss with some of the biggest contenders in the meta caring little about it. I didn't miss having it in this run and was often glad it wasn't there for me to draw into/open in MUs like D-link, Math, and VS.

• Phantazmay has landed itself in the main, a clear acknowledgment to the MUs that we primarily care about and what we're slanting more aggressively against in earnest. The card is right at home here, as it not only repurposes our hand to lend better positioning - but also offers extra value, protection, and a body to significantly increase the opponent's clock all while being recyclable and not losing to common defensive options. It performed well throughout this event but particularly shined in the later levels.