Summary
TheYu-Gi-Oh! TCGis full of strategies to break boards and prevent your opponent from unleashing their full power. However, one strategy that has always been considered a little dirty is stealing your opponent’s Monsters and using their own power against their owners.
There have been many cards in the past that can steal your opponent’s Monsters. From aliens that can steal your opponent’s entire field to iconic cards that snatch them from the graveyard. However, some always manage to stay on players' minds. Here are ten Yu-Gi-Oh! cards that can steal your opponent’s Monsters.
10Change of Heart
A Classic Duel Monsters Staple
Change of Heart is one of the most iconic Spells fromthe Duel Monsters era of Yu-Gi-Oh!The effect is so simple but so effective that the card has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the ban list.
What makes Change of Heart such a good card is that it has very few restrictions. You get to steal an opponent’s Monster without having to give up anything on your end, and the only downside is that you have to give it back during the End Phase, but by then you’ve already used their Monster as material.
9Snatch Steal
Snatch, Steal, And Do It All Over Again
Snatch Steal is another card that steals Monsters with a seemingly major downside that has become irrelevant over the years. This Equip Spell allows you to steal one Monster on the field and keep it indefinitely. However, your opponent gains 1,000 life points each turn.
Life points have been mostly irrelevant despite their role in actually winning the game. If you can corner your opponent, then it makes no difference if they have 8,000 life points or 16,000. Being an Equip Card also means you can bounce it back into your hand and use it again to steal a different Monster.
8Creature Swap
A Terrible Deal For Your Opponent
Creature Swap may no longer be a relevant card, but during its time in the spotlight, it could be used to kick off effects and get New Monsters on your field during the Battle Phase. The card is essentially a trade. You choose a Monster to give to your opponent, and they choose one to give to you.
If your opponent only has one Monster, then they are forced to choose it. This could mean giving your opponent a worthless Monster in return for their best one. You could also give them a Monster that Special Summons another Monster on destruction and trigger the effect yourself.
7Mind Control
Use Monsters As Material
The further Yu-Gi-Oh! evolved, the more restrictions had to be placed on older effects just to make them fair. Regardless, they can still be useful. Mind Control lets you take your opponent’s Monster, but it can’t attack or be tributed over.
While this does get in the way of a few 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 tribute Monsters, Mind Control has become more flexible despite the restrictions.
6Enemy Controller
Push Your Opponent’s Buttons
Enemy Controller is a sweet card. It has two different effects and one of them just so happens to steal a Monster from your opponent. The first effect allows you to switch one of your opponent’s Monster’s battle positions. The other requires you to tribute one Monster to steal another.
While the restrictions may make it less useful than other forms of stealing, someniche but fun deckssuch as Nouvelles, spawn so many tokens that Enemy Controller feels right at home. Best of all, it’s not restricted, so decks that can run it can have three.
5Thousand-Eyes Restrict
A Classic Staple
Thousand-Eyes Restrict is the ultimateMonster 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 down the board, so neither player can attack using other Monsters.
However, players found an easy way to cheese out this Monster without running the materials needed in their deck. By using Instant Fusion, they can Summon this monster out for one turn. Usually, this would be just to steal a Monster and then send it to the graveyard once time runs out.
4Number 101: Silent Honor Ark
Steals Monsters And Protects Itself
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 in the early XYZ era, was pretty much most decks.
You can detach two materials from Silent Honor Ark to snatch one of your opponent’s face-up attack position Monsters. It then becomes material for this Monster, meaning it can be used for its second effect, which protects it from being destroyed.
3Number 11: Big Eye
Can Steal Monsters Permanently
Another XYZ Monster that can steal other Monsters is Number 11: Big Eye. This Rank Seven Monster can fit into any deck that utilizes level seven Monsters. Big Eye can steal more than one Monster if it stays on the board.
While it can only steal one Monster per turn and Big Eye can’t attack the turn you activate the effect, the steals are permanent due to there being no card text that specifies the stolen Monsters have to go back.
2Relinquished Anima
A Must-Have Link Monster
Relinquished Anima is a Link-1 Monster that sees play in any deck that uses llevel-oneEffect Monsters. It can be Link Summoned to steal one monster that it points to, which can limit your options for using it, but can force your opponent to spend a negate to stop it.
Relinquished Anima is also good for getting a Dark Spellcaster on the board for strategies that need it for Link climbing into stronger monsters by freeing up space on the board. Mostly though, it is either a tech option or a generic Link-1 that takes the place of Link Kuriboh inthe Extra Deck.
1Triple Tactics Talent
A Staple To Counter Ash
Triple Tactics Talent is a must-have card in any deck. It has three different effects, including the ability to steal a Monster. This is a great option to have in your current deck since it allows you to respond if your opponent uses a Monster effect to do anything during your turn.
First, you’re able to draw two cards which can help 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-targeting is a massive win since your opponent will still get a Monster taken away unless they outright negate the effect.
