Introduction
Recently, one of the most popular archetypes of all time, Traptrix, has been rewarded with more support in the form of Structure Deck: Beware of Traptrix. The structure deck includes several long awaited support for this 10 year old archetype to the point where it is actually a viable and competitive option! What are these adorable faunas, and what can they do? I am here to break it down for you, but watch your step!
Traptrix
Traptrix is generally classified as a bunch of Plant or Insect monsters with effects strongly related to the subcategory "Hole" Normal Traps. Often, a Traptrix deck focuses on searching and setting a bunch of "Hole" Normal Traps. These "Hole" cards are then activated upon the summon of an opposing monster, mostly to ensnare or remove them from play. This sort of trapping culture will continuously torment the opponent to a point where your measly Traptrix monsters can go in for a direct hit.
However, these "Hole" cards had a glaring flaw: they were useless against monsters already established on the field, and they were pointless going second against an opponent who would fill the board before you set your traps. Moreover, as a Trap-centric strategy, Traptrix monsters in general had no way to protect themselves, or provide advantageous resources to compete with the opponent. That was, until new support came out here. Let's take a look at the new tricks of the Traptrix!
Traptrix's Tricks of the Trade
Before we carry on, I would advise you to familiarize yourself with previously released Traptrix Cards, or you can just hover over them here (note that this list does not include the new cards):
Traptrix Main Deck Monsters
- Traptrix Mantis (searches Monsters)
- Traptrix Myrmeleo (searches "Hole" Trap)
- Traptrix Dionaea (revives fallen Traptrixs)
- Traptrix Vesiculo (extender)
- Traptrix Atrax (activates "Hole" Traps from hand)
- Traptrix Genlisea (resets "Hole" Traps)
- Traptrix Nepenthes (tutors after "Hole" Traps has been used)
Traptrix Extra Deck Monsters
- Traptrix Rafflesia (Rank 4)
- Traptrix Allomerus (Rank 4)
- Traptrix Sera (Link-1)
- Traptrix Cularia (Link-2)
Notably, the Traptrixes are centered towards Rank 4s and Link Summoning.
"Hole" Trap Cards (There are a lot)
- Void Trap Hole
- Time-Space Trap Hole
- Acid Trap Hole
- Adhesion Trap Hole
- Bottomless Trap Hole
- Break Off Trap Hole
- Chain Hole
- D.D. Trap Hole
- Deep Dark Trap Hole
- Gravedigger's Trap Hole
- Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare
- Double Trap Hole
- Gemini Trap Hole
- Floodgate Trap Hole
- Trap Hole of Spikes
- Giant Trap Hole
- Network Trap Hole
- Treacherous Trap Hole
Although there are a lot of cards to research at this point, only a few of them will appear frequently, so do not worry too much about memorizing them all.
With this amount of cards, Traptrix used to rely on triggering Traptrix Sera's powerful tutoring abilities as much as possible. Will the new support change things?
Traptrix Arachnocampa
Traptrix Arachnocampa
Level 4 EARTH Insect Effect Monster
ATK 1300
DEF 1500
You can only use the 1st effect of this card’s name once per turn.
(1) During the Main Phase, if you control a “Traptrix” monster (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except Insect and Plant monsters.
(2) Unaffected by the effects of “Hole” Normal Traps.
(3) The first time each Set card in your Spell & Trap Zone would be destroyed by card effect each turn, it is not destroyed.
Arachnocampa is what we can consider an "extender". In addition, her presence will prevent your backrow from getting wiped out by sudden boardwipes like Harpie's Feather Duster or Lightning Storm! And the best part is that you can summon her during your opponent's turn too, potentially allowing you to trigger Sera as well. This is a definite must play in the deck.
Traptrix Pudica
Level 4 EARTH Plant Effect Monster
ATK 900
DEF 1900
You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.
(1) When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 “Traptrix Orchard ” from your Deck to your hand.
(2) If this card is Special Summoned: You can target 1 opponent’s Special Summoned monster; banish it, also, during the next Standby Phase, your opponent can Special Summon 1 of their banished monsters.
(3) Unaffected by the effects of “Hole” Normal Traps.
Traptrix Pudica searches the new field spell Traptrix Orchard, which I will cover later. Essentially, it grants an additional normal summon, allowing you to extend a bit further. Her second effect upon being special summoned, is way more relevant. She has a spot removal effect! Which is extremely helpful given Traptrix's reactive nature to disrupt the opponent. This can be easily achieved through Traptrix Sera or Traptrix Nepenthes, or Traptrix Holetaea which we will discuss later. Overall, this card serves as a great spot removal tool.
Traptrix Orchard
Field Spell Card
You can only use the 3rd effect of this card’s name once per turn.
(1) During your Main Phase, you can Normal Summon 1 “Traptrix” monster in addition to your Normal Summon/Set. (You can only gain this effect once per turn.)
(2) The first time each of your Insect and Plant monsters would be destroyed by battle each turn, it is not destroyed.
(3) You can banish 1 monster you control; Special Summon 1 “Traptrix” monster from your hand or GY.
Traptrix Pudica searches this card. At first glance, this card grants an additional normal summon, and protects your monsters from battle destruction, which is very nice to have, since Traptrix monsters gets better value out of their normal summons and are quite fragile in nature.
The third effect however, allows you to trade 1 monster on your field for a Traptrix summon. So you could either trade one of your Xyzs monsters like Traptrix Allomerus which has no value after emptying out her materials, or you could use cards like Crackdown and Mind Control and banish their monsters in exchange for yours. This special summoning also triggers effects from Traptrix Pudica and Traptrix Myrmeleo. This card may not provide direct value, but the presence of this card is a very important one.
Traptrix Allure
Normal Spell Card
You can only use the (1)st and (2)nd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.
(1) Discard 1 Level 4 Insect or Plant monster, or 1 Normal Trap; draw 2 cards.
(2) You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 of your banished Level 4 Insect or Plant monsters, or 1 of your banished Normal Traps; place it on the bottom of the Deck.
Traptrix Allure is this archetype's draw card. The conditions are very easy, especially when it is normal for players to be unable to advance due to drawing a bunch of unrelated Trap cards at the start of the game. The second effect allows you to recycle your used cards, especially if they're banished and unretrieveable from the effects of Traptrix Dionaea or Breakthrough Skill.
Given how generic this card is, you may even expect to see it in other Trap related decks like Eldlich or Labyrinth!
Traptrix Pinguicula
Rank 4 EARTH Plant Xyz Effect Monster
ATK 2500
DEF 300
Materials: 2 Level 4 monsters
You can only use the 2nd and 3rd effect of this card’s name each once per turn.
(1) This card with material is unaffected by Trap effects and by activated effects from any other monster with the same Type as any of those materials.
(2) You can detach 1 material from this card; add 1 “Traptrix” monster from your Deck to your hand.
(3) If a monster(s) that is owned by your opponent is sent to the GY, or banished, by card effect: You can attach 1 of them to this card as material.
Traptrix Pinguicula is the third Xyz monster to grace this archetype, choosing to adopt a search effect. This effect may not be especially important to the deck, but with Traptrix Orchard present, you can basically search any Traptrix card in your deck. Its second effect is not very important as well, but allows your Traptrix Pinguicula to keep accumulating materials for future use. This also keeps materials out of your opponent's grave if they can trigger effects, like Tearlaments Kitkallos. Overall with its high ATK power, this card should be included in your decks.
Traptrix Atypus
Link-3 EARTH Insect Link Effect Monster
ATK 1800
Link Arrows: Middle-Left, Middle-Right, Bottom-Center
Materials: 2+ monsters, including a Plant or Insect monster
(1) This Link Summoned card is unaffected by Trap effects.
(2) “Traptrix” monsters you control gain 1000 ATK while you have a Normal Trap in your GY.
(3) Once per turn: You can target face-up cards your opponent controls up to the number of Insect and Plant monsters you control; negate their effects (until the end of this turn), then you can banish 1 Normal Trap from your GY, and if you do, destroy 1 of the targeted face-up cards.
Traptrix Atypus is the deck's biggest boss monster to date. Her presence grants all your Traptrix monsters a 1000 ATK boost, which greatly helps improve the deck's aggression (this effect stacks with more Atypuses on the field!)
In addition to this, once per turn, she can negate and destroy a card on the field. This card is clearly meant for your Traptrix monsters to clean up the game more easily, and is the best monster you can summon, especially under Traptrix Arachnocampa's extra deck lock.
Traptrix Holetaea
Normal Trap Card
You can only use 1 of the 1st and 2nd effect of this card’s name per turn, and only once that turn.
You can activate this card the turn it was Set by discarding 1 Normal Trap.
(1) Special Summon this card in Defense Position as a Normal Monster (Plant/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 400/DEF 2400). (This card is NOT treated as a Trap.)
(2) You can banish this card from your GY, then target 1 “Traptrix” monster in your GY; Special Summon it.
A "Hole" Normal Trap that serves as a monster card? We love to see it.
As a Trap card that can be activated on the turn it was set, this helps trigger Traptrix Sera's effect very easily. And as a monster, this allows you to use it as material for either Xyz or Link summons. This deck will require Traptrix Sera's effect to pop off, and Traptrix Holetaea allows the player to do so very easily!
The secondary effect is also very good! At first glance, it is a simple Monster Reborn like effect for Traptrix. But remember that some Traptrixes, like Traptrix Myrmeleo and Traptrix Pudica has strong effects when special summoned, allowing for yet another layer of unexpected disruption.
This is potentially the best card in the entire deck that ties everything together: it is a definite 3-of that allows the deck to function the way it does now.
Normal Trap Card
You can only activate 1 card with this card’s name per turn.
(1) If your opponent Special Summoned a monster this turn: Target 1 monster they control with 2000 or more ATK; destroy it, then, if you have a “Hole” Normal Trap in your GY, you can banish 1 monster from your opponent’s GY.
The last addition to this ever growing arsenal of Traps is yet another Trap. This one in particular can be flipped up anytime as long as your opponent fulfills the condition for you, which allows you to comfortably control the timing to activate Traptrix Sera after. As a basic Trap Hole, it simply destroys, and additionally banishes a monster from your opponent's GY. Not too complicated, but it does help tremendously against certain GY reliant strategies!
That was a lot to cover, but the general consensus should be clear: Traptrix is definitely better. But in what aspect? How does it compete, and how do we build and play it?
Traptrix Combos
In all honesty, there is not much to showcase given that this is supposed to be a Trap deck. Set 5 and laugh, right? However, Traptrix's biggest advantage comes solely from Traptrix Sera, and being able to constantly use that is the key to overwhelming victory.
I will not explain these combos in depth, but provide a video for your viewing pleasure instead.
But the general idea is that you often end on Traptrix Sera, Traptrix Rafflesia, and hopefully a set revelant "Hole" card or two.
Check out these videos
Instead, I believe building the deck is way more complicated then learning how to play the deck. Let us take a look.
Traptrix Deck Sample
Pure Traptrix
This list is vaguely similar to the list I have been using at locals.
The most important part about Traptrix is preparing which "Hole" cards you want to utilize. In this case, you might notice only 4 different "Holes" along with 3 Traptrix Holetaea - this is because both Traptrix Sera and Traptrix Rafflesia can tutor them out, and Traptrix Dionaea can reset used holes very easily, allowing you to get away with minimal counts of "Hole" cards.
In fact, it is my belief that the deck should be more consistent towards triggering Traptrix Sera as much as possible, where you can see with my addition of 3 The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine and Parallel eXceeds. This particular "Hole" lineup was meant to threaten Tearlament Ishizu more, but my general suggestion is to prepare 1 - 3 different "Holes" against your expected matchup. This will not be an easy deck to play should you skimp on preparations, as some "Holes" will be useless against certain decks (like Delusion Trap Hole against Floowandereeze.)
All in all, like every other control deck past and future, deck composition will determine your victory in games. However, Traptrix is more reliant on its "Holes" being able to activate and disrupt the opponent, so proper research into your local metagame and the right tools is the key to winning.
Hand Artifact Traptrix
This is a very traditional deck that was created when these three archetypes were released near to each other. The idea behind this? Every single card in this deck is a guaranteed +1, or your opponent's -1. With almost no synergy between these archetypes, they work together to slowly dwindle your opponent out of resources, and punishes them for ever thinking about interacting against you. Maybe they will think twice before picking up this game again!
However, this sort of strategy may no longer be capable enough to compete with fast paced decks of the current format, so do not expect too much!
Countering Traptrix
That being said, Traptrix is not without its flaws. As Traptrix lives and dies with Traptrix Sera's resolutions, negating her is a good start to denying massive card advantages. You can also drop effect negations onto the first Traptrix summon, preventing a potential search to establishing a deadly field. Alternatively, this deck is suprisingly fragile to Nibiru, the Primal Being now.
However, one should be wary of using backrow removal, as Traptrix Arachnocampa exists now, and Denko Sekka can be easily countered with Traptrix Rafflesia.
My Traps and Conclusion
I am a person who loves preparing a lot. Therefore building and testing this deck, and watching my expectations play out nicely at my locals is a very gratifying experience to me. Traptrix is no longer a one-dimensional deck that sits on a billion backrow, but instead utilizing its many different tools as both a tempo swing and extending. I am very pleased with how this deck turned out.
Recently, this deck has been making waves in Japan! (After the Jan F/L implementation, of course.) This deck rewards careful planning, good deckbuilding and player skill to bring the player to victory. I am very pleased with this structure deck, along with the many reprints that we never thought we would need.
This deck is absolutely fun, and the card arts are very pleasing to admire. Are you brave enough to step into the forest of Traps, and come out the victor? Give this deck a go and find out!
