Nuke

"Nuking" is a term used to describe a monster or card's effect that destroys all, or almost all, cards on the field. The first known "Nuker" was "Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End", who's effect was used to cause an OTK, known as the Chaos Emperor Dragon OTK. Other cards that destroy all cards on the field are "Black Rose Dragon", "Demise, King of Armageddon" (who also had an OTK, the Demise/Doom OTK), "Sky Scourge Norleras", "Final Destiny", and "Judgment Dragon".

Near-Nuking
There are also cards that destroy a portion of the field, like "Dark Hole", "Torrential Tribute", "Grand Convergence", and "Heavy Storm". These effects, though not quite as powerful, can still mean game for anyone who plays them correctly. There are are also two cards that had a direct focus on destroying cards just on the opponent's side of the field, "Raigeki", and "Harpie's Feather Duster", both of which were considered to powerful, and were forbidden in the advanced format. But before that, "Anti Raigeki", and "Gryphon Wing" were created so that players could counter their complete broken and overly powerful effect. There was also a card created to counter Dark Hole, known as "White Hole" Some players also believe that "Dark Armed Dragon" was considered able to "nuke" the field, because of his easy summoning conditions and powerful effect. "DAD" has been limited, because of the tremendous power of "tele-DAD" Decks.

Power Struggle
Because card's abilities that destroyed the field and/or the player's hand were so powerful, many of them were banned or limited. "Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End" had such an effect that it will never leave the forbidden list. "Black Rose Dragon" and "Demise, King of Armageddon" have both been limited because of their easy summonings and and 2400 ATK which could make a big dent in their opponent's life points, though recently, Demise has been semi-limited because of his high cost to use his effect and how it easy it was to defeat demise in battle, or by a card effect. "Judgment Dragon" is considered by many players to be the new "Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End", with 3000 ATK and small cost to destroy all other cards on the field, along with it's easy summong and revival with the Lightsworns' milling effect. Konami hit "Judgment Dragon" during the March 2010 List, limiting "Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner", and semi-limiting "Honest", "Charge of the Light Brigade", and "Beckoning Light", all of which turned Lightsworns from a top-tier deck to a low-tier deck. "Judgment Dragon" now remains semi-limited. "Twilight Norleras" and "Final Destiny" are untouched, as they are ludicrously hard to use, as "Final Destiny" has such a high cost (because you're only allowed to hold up to six cards in your hand, this card meant discarding your entire hand to activate it's effect, except when using in conjunction with a card that allowed more than six, like "Infinite Cards"), and "Twilight Norleras" requires 1 LIGHT Fairy-Type Monster and 3 DARK Fiend-Type Monsters to summon it.

Counters
There are counters when your opponent nukes the field. People with DARK Decks will try to use "The Dark Creator", as his summoning requirement needed no monsters on the field, and then would swarm by reviving strong DARK monsters from the graveyard. Other counters include "Divine Wrath", "Stardust Dragon", Starlight Road", and "My Body as a Shield". There are also cards that give the user an advantage when added to the hand and summoned on the field, while there are no cards in the hand or on the field, like "Elemental Hero Bubbleman", "Infernity Archfeind", and "Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight". An empty hand or field also leaves some archetypes, like Infernities, an advantage.