Highlights
- Change of Heart is a classic means of stealing monsters, with minimal restrictions for maximum benefit.
- While Snatch Steal may have a life point penalty, its ability to steal monsters indefinitely remains strong.
- Creature Swap may not be in the spotlight right now, but its ability to manipulate the exchange of powerful monsters is notable.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is full of strategies to destroy boards and prevent the opponent from unleashing their full power. However, one strategy that has always been considered a bit dirty is to steal the opponent’s monsters and use their own power against their owners.
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There have been many cards in the past that have allowed you to steal your opponent’s monsters. From aliens that could steal your opponent’s entire field to iconic cards that snatch them from the graveyard, some, however, always manage to stick in players’ minds. Here are ten Yu-Gi-Oh! cards that can be used to steal your opponent’s monsters.
10 Change of heart
A classic from “Duel Monsters”
Change of Heart is one of the most iconic spells from the Duel Monsters era of Yu-Gi-Oh! The effect is so simple, but so effective, that the card sometimes appears on the banned list, sometimes not.
Change of Heart is so good because it has very few restrictions. You can steal an opponent’s monster without having to give up anything yourself. The only downside is that you have to give it back in the end phase, but by then you’ve already used the opponent’s monster as material.
9 Grab, steal
Grab, steal and do it all again
Snatch Steal is another monster-stealing card with a seemingly huge drawback that has become irrelevant over the years. This Equip Spell lets you steal a monster on the field and keep it indefinitely, but your opponent gains 1,000 life points each turn.
Life points were largely irrelevant, despite their role in actually winning the game. If you can corner your opponent, it makes no difference if they have 8,000 or 16,000 life points. Since it’s an equip card, you can also throw it back into your hand and use it again to steal another monster.
8 Creature Swap
A terrible deal for your opponent
Creature Swap may not be a relevant card anymore, but during its time in the spotlight it could be used to trigger effects and add new monsters to your field during the Battle Phase. The card is essentially a swap. You choose one monster to give to your opponent, and they choose one to give to you.
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If your opponent only has one monster, they must choose one. This could mean giving your opponent a worthless monster in exchange for their best monster. You could also give them a monster that, when destroyed, Special Summons another monster and trigger the effect yourself.
7 Mind control
Use monsters as material
As Yu-Gi-Oh! evolved, more restrictions had to be placed on older effects to keep them fair. Despite this, they can still be useful. Mind Control lets you take your opponent’s monster, but it can’t attack or be Tributed.
While this does limit some options, you can still make it work. You can still use the stolen monster’s effects. With the introduction of Links and Synchro Summons, which don’t offer monsters as tributes, Mind Control has become more flexible despite the limitations.
6 Enemy Controller
Press your opponent’s buttons
Enemy Controller is a great card. It has two different effects and one of them randomly steals a monster from your opponent. The first effect allows you to change the battle position of one of your opponent’s monsters. The other requires you to sacrifice a monster as a tribute to steal another.
Although the restrictions make it less useful than other forms of stealing, some niche decks that are fun to play, like Nouvelles, generate so many tokens that Enemy Controller feels right at home. The best part is that it’s not restricted, so decks that can run it can have three of them.
5 Thousand-eyes restriction
A classic
Thousand-Eyes Restrict is the ultimate monster used by Pegasus in the original Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. It can steal a monster with ease if you manage to meet its fusion requirements and even lock the field so that neither player can attack with other monsters.
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However, players have found an easy way to defeat this monster without using the required materials in their Deck. By using Instant Fusion, they can summon this monster for one turn. Normally, this would just steal a monster and then send it to the Graveyard once the time is up.
4 Number 101: Silent Ark of Honor
Steals monsters and protects himself
During the first few waves after the introduction of XYZ monsters, Number 101: Silent Honor Ark became a great way to steal monsters from your opponent. It also fits into any toolbox for decks that use level four monsters, which was pretty much most decks in the early XYZ era.
You can detach two materials from Silent Honor Ark to grab one of your opponent’s face-up Attack Position monsters. It then becomes the material for that monster, meaning it can be used for its second effect, protecting it from destruction.
3 Number 11: Big Eye
Can permanently steal monsters
Another XYZ monster that can steal other monsters is number 11: Big Eye. This level seven monster fits in any deck that uses level seven monsters. Big Eye can steal more than one monster if it stays on the board.
Although it can only steal one monster per turn and Big Eye cannot attack the turn you activate the effect, thefts are permanent because there is no card text stating that the stolen monsters must be returned.
2 Abandoned Anima
An indispensable link monster
Relinquished Anima is a Link 1 monster played in any Deck that uses Level 1 Effect Monsters. It can be Link Summoned to steal a monster it points to, which can limit your uses but can force your opponent to spend a Negate to stop it.
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Relinquished Anima is also good for getting a Dark Spellcaster on the board for strategies that need it to allow Link to climb into stronger monsters by freeing up board space. Most of the time, though, it’s either a tech option or a generic Link-1 to take Link Kuriboh’s place in the Extra Deck.
1 Triple tactical talent
A staple to combat Ash
Triple Tactics Talent is an essential card in any deck. It has three different effects, including the ability to steal a monster. This is a great option for your current deck because it allows you to react when your opponent uses a monster effect to do something during your turn.
First, you can draw two cards that can make up for a negated search. You can also look at your opponent’s hand and shuffle a card back into the deck. Finally, you can steal a monster. The fact that this is also non-targeted is a big win, as your opponent will still be taking a monster away unless they completely negate the effect.
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