Welcome to the eleventh installment!
We are just a month away from the North American WCQ, and I see many players working hard both in testplaying and in theorizing. Preparation and innovation will be crucial for this event, if you consider that we have the very last nationals on the calendar. What is the significance of being last? It means every crafty tech choice, every major trend, and every matchup will have been exhaustively looked into. Combine the lateness of this event with the fact that it’s usually the biggest nats each year in terms of entrants, and what do you get? One very difficult event to top (or win).
On top of all this, the most prominent deck you can expect to face at this event, Dragon Ruler, is both versatile yet unforgiving. It is versatile in that, because it supports 4 different elements, it is capable of synergizing with some unusual tech choices. It is unforgiving in that, because its play sequences involve larger-than-average decision trees, you’ll need experience and practice to know how to handle the mirror and the rest of the field. If your strategy was to win just because you have the best deck, you’ll have to rethink your strategy. You may steal the first few rounds, but once you start facing a string of Dragon mirrors in the later rounds, your experience and decision making will show what you really understand about your deck. As Joe Giorlando said in an earlier article, perfect play will be of the utmost importance. Practice, practice, practice!
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Joseph Diaz’s Evilswarm
Main Deck: 40
Monsters: 19
3 Evilswarm Mandragora
3 Evilswarm Kerykeion
3 Evilswarm Heliotrope
3 Evilswarm Thunderbird
3 Evilswarm Castor
2 Rescue Rabbit
2 Tour Guide from the Underworld
Spells: 6
3 Infestation Pandemic
1 Monster Reborn
1 Reinforcement of the Army
1 Heavy Storm
Traps: 15
3 Dark Illusion
2 Fiendish Chain
2 Mirror Force
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
2 Torrential Tribute
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Infestation Infection
1 Solemn Judgment
1 Solemn Warning
Extra Deck: 0
At a Glance
While we’re on the subject of nats, we may want to look at a deck that is a major contender for the event ahead of us. Evilswarm’s primary approach is to create two-card soft locks that most often follow the formula: “Ophion + ______” Emptiness, Iron Wall, Mind Drain, often complete the pair in this role, which is further protected by peripheral support such as Compulsory and Dark Illusion. Based on the top 8 results of regionals across the country, we can extrapolate that roughly 8 to 16 Evilswarm players will make the top 64 cut. In other words, they’re projected to be in the 12.5 - 25% range of the top cut population.
The deck that Joseph submitted is highly reminiscent of many of the pre-LTGY builds we were used to seeing before Kerykeion’s release and before the trap lineup had to be completely rewritten to accommodate the new set release. As I go through the changes, I’ll discuss in general terms why Evilswarm has evolved in the way that it has.
Monsters
3 Evilswarm Mandragora
3 Evilswarm Kerykeion
3 Evilswarm Heliotrope
3 Evilswarm Thunderbird
3 Evilswarm Castor
2 Rescue Rabbit
2 Tour Guide from the Underworld
Apart from Kerykeion, this lineup resembles the list all too commonly seen just before (and during) YCS New Jersey. However, TGU has fallen out of favor, and reasonably so. Significant monsters that TGU was once a standard out to, such as Tiger King, Laggia, Maestroke, Utopia, and so on, are less likely to be on any given field this format than in the history of XYZs. In their place, we see floating boss monsters, which include dragons that summon themselves from the grave and a 2550 beater that replaces itself in card advantage. With the increase in the format’s pace comes a necessity for hand traps.
-2 Tour Guide
+3 Maxx “C”
+2 Effect Veiler
Spells
3 Infestation Pandemic
1 Monster Reborn
1 Reinforcement of the Army
1 Heavy Storm
The spell lineup here demonstrates sensitivity to LTGY, as seen in the absence of Dark Hole. I would not contend against the argument for Forbidden Dress’s inclusion, but in today’s particular fix we will go down a different route. The only change that I find favorable is to reduce the Pandemic count to two, precisely because it is searchable and because spell/trap lineups in addition to general playstyles have adapted to Pandemic’s effect. Instead of depending on the 3rd, a player can adjust by carefully managing the use of Ophion’s ignition effect.
-1 Pandemic
Traps
3 Dark Illusion
2 Fiendish Chain
2 Mirror Force
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
2 Torrential Tribute
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Infestation Infection
1 Solemn Judgment
1 Solemn Warning
Herein lies the meat of the discussion on Evilswarms’ evolution since Jersey. A field once dominated by the Bottomless and Fiendish-susceptible Mermails and Fire Fists is now replaced by the reign of Prophecy and Dragon Rulers, both of which comfortably summon into and through traditional removal cards with ease. Evilswarm players adapted, and the trap lineup experienced an overhaul by which the new maindecked traps could either: 1. legitimately trade one for one for a significant card rather than a floater (Compulsory, Dark Illusion) or 2. create a blowout that either establishes a soft lock or drains significant resources (Iron Wall, Emptiness, Eradicator).
Of course, cards like the Solemns are likely to never fall out of prominence in such floodgate strategies, particularly due to their ever-generic, catch-all applications. Infestation Infection, too, proves frequently useful, offering all sorts of neat tricks while interacting with Kerykeion and such to dodge Effect Veiler. In exchange for the old, floater-punishable removal, we now include traps that fall into one of the two categories above in order to adequately handle the Evilswarm and Prophecy matchup.
The exact lineup has plenty of variation, and the general principle you want to follow is to side more heavily for the matchup that your main deck covers least between the top 2. For example, if you main EEV, then side harder for Dragons. If you main Iron Wall, then max out the EEVs in the side. Simple principles, easy to apply.
-1 Illusion
-2 Fiendish
-2 Mirror
-2 Bottomless
-1 Torrential
+2 Compulsory
+2 Vanity’s Emptiness
+3 EEV
Extra Deck
None
While an Extra was not included with the submission, Evilswarm’s Extra has reached a plateau of a widely accepted standard that is straightforward. While it isn’t necessarily rigid and closed off to player preference, it also isn’t so fluid and open to discussion as a deck like, say, September Wind-Ups.
Final List
Main Deck: 41
Monsters: 22
3 Evilswarm Mandragora
3 Evilswarm Kerykeion
3 Evilswarm Heliotrope
3 Evilswarm Thunderbird
3 Evilswarm Castor
3 Maxx “C”
2 Effect Veiler
2 Rescue Rabbit
Spells: 5
2 Infestation Pandemic
1 Monster Reborn
1 Reinforcement of the Army
1 Heavy Storm
Traps: 14
3 Compulsory Evacuation Device
3 Eradicator Epidemic Virus
2 Dark Illusion
2 Vanity’s Emptiness
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Infestation Infection
1 Solemn Judgment
1 Solemn Warning
Extra Deck: 15
3 Evilswarm Ophion
2 Evilswarm Bahamut
1 Evilswarm Ouroboros
1 Gem-Knight Pearl
1 Number 39: Utopia
1 Number 16: Shock Master
1 Diamond Dire Wolf
1 Maestroke the Symphon Djinn
1 Gagaga Cowboy
1 Abyss Dweller
1 Number 50: Blackship of Corn
1 Evilswarm Nightmare
As I’ve stated, the trap lineup you decide to go with will usually be the most significant determinant of how hard you side for your most prominent matchups. Since we’re going with mained EEV, Dragons will need greater attention in the side in cards like Imperial Iron Wall and Chaos Hunter/Vaskii/Deck Lockdown/Mind Drain/Electric Virus whatever you may be testing with. I’ve included Evilswarm Nightmare because its effect can be difficult to push through in the right situations, especially in a game that has grown to be so XYZ-centric. Whether that last slot is Nightmare, Emeral, Utopia Ray, or even King of the Feral Imps (for Vaskii) is debatable.
Evan Gardner’s Guardian deck (Dimensional Eatos)
Main Deck: 42
Monsters: 15
3 Guardian Eatos
3 Guardian Baou
2 Arsenal Summoner
2 Card Guard
2 Doomcaliber Knight
2 Dark Simorgh
1 Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind
Spells: 20
3 Wicked Breaking Flamberge - Baou
3 Dimensional Fissure
3 Hidden Armory
3 Upstart Goblin
2 Different Dimension Reincarnation
1 Gravity Axe - Grarl
1 Monster Reborn
1 Heavy Storm
1 Fairy of the Spring
1 Fissure
1 Book of Moon
Traps: 7
3 Macro Cosmos
1 The Transmigration Prophecy
1 Return from the Different Dimension
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Starlight Road
Extra Deck: 2+
1 Stardust Dragon
1 Power Tool Dragon
# XYZs (unnamed)
At a Glance
In perhaps the greatest topic leap in the history of 100+ Deck Doctor articles, we now transition from a very competitive nats-contender all the way to an entry-level deck. What I like about Evan’s deck is that it is a fantastic deck with which to introduce someone to Yugioh. Unlike the narrower strategies of our nats contenders, this deck is an exemplary showcase of fundamental mechanics. Flip, Trigger, Ignition, and Continuous monster effects are all in the deck, as are examples of Continuous, Equip, Quick Play, and Normal Spell cards. Negation, stat modification, summoning conditions, and the Banished zone are all featured as well, and the overall gameplay is not centered around excessive solitaire plays, making it an ideal tool for instruction and demonstration while being one difficulty step above the oversimplified starter decks.
This will be my first opportunity since the original Deck Doctor Contest from last winter to go over fundamentals about differentiating good and bad cards while ignoring the influences of the meta and power creep. You can think of my build recommendations as a part 2 of Evan’s original deck; whereas I would hand the original deck to a new player to teach him game mechanics, I would then explain the following changes to expand his theory on how to improve as a deck builder. The reason a deck as rogue as Guardian Eatos is good for explaining how to improve a deck in a vacuum is because so much of what determines card choice in meta decks is dependent on the existing meta. With a meta deck, I’d be left explaining to run card X because it counters (Spellbook, Dragon Ruler), which is beyond the scope of trying to teach something like how to choose a monster lineup for card advantage to a newer player.
Monsters
3 Guardian Eatos
3 Guardian Baou
2 Arsenal Summoner
2 Card Guard
2 Doomcaliber Knight
2 Dark Simorgh
1 Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind
Using the the monster lineup, we can knock out a few concepts right away: card advantage, tempo, synergy, and combo pieces. When it comes to Guardian Baou, he is a black hole for resources. It cannot be summoned without its equip spell counterpart already face-up on the field, and even the equip spell has a cost of a discard simply to activate. In other words, you effectively trade 3 cards to get one monster on the field whose attack is not adequate enough to make it a useful battle phase soldier, which its effect hinges on. In addition to card advantage, items like tempo must also be looked at. Baou, Arsenal Summoner, and Card Guard do not do anything the turn they show up in your hand. We call this the difference between "live” and “dead” cards. So, while Card Guard might be considered “1 card” in card advantage, it delivers you zero points in virtual advantage - that is, advantage that can be used to convert the game in your favor.
So that covers card advantage and tempo. Next, we have synergy. The deck as it is has some indication of synergy - namely, its skeleton is a Dimensional Eatos deck. Guardian Eatos requires a monster-free grave to be summoned freely, and Dimensional Fissure and Macro Cosmos help to maintain just that. Since any deck which restricts the grave to this extent is generally considered antimeta, cards which support concepts like locks or negation go well with the strategy. Doomcaliber is a good choice to start with, and D.D. Survivor would further synergize with the macro effects. However, Dark Simorgh is an example of a card which discourages synergy. A Dark Simorgh deck is bolstered by support which sends cards to the grave (such as Ryko), rather than keeping cards out of the grave. Lastly, we want to talk about combo pieces. Unlike the Pokemon TCG, there is very limited draw or tutor power in Yugioh. For this reason, most decks cannot afford to run 3-card combos. The only exceptions that can be made (in general) are cards that have stand-alone strength, while having huge potential when drawn in tandem with another card (that is preferably searchable). One might argue that the meta has almost always been comprised of decks that run 3 or more card combos, but you have to remember the degree to which the deck can search those pieces, the pace at which they can be searched, and the winning potential of these cards if they are drawn off the top without support. Oftentimes I have heard players advocate the use of X, Y, and Z without stopping to do the math of just how improbable their strategies are.
Tour Guide into Leviair into Valley/Warrior Lady is useful synergy.
On an aside note, Arsenal Summoner is one of the funniest cards I’ve seen, particularly because it conflicts so much with nomenclature in the game of Yugioh. Read its effect; you’ll find it is outdated. More “Guardian” cards have been released, and this makes Arsenal Summoner’s text increasingly problematic.
-3 Guardian Baou
-2 Arsenal Summoner
-2 Card Guard
-2 Dark Simorgh
-1 Blackwing - Gale
+3 D.D. Surivor
+2 Cyber Valley
+2 D.D. Warrior Lady
+2 Tour Guide
Spells
3 Wicked Breaking Flamberge - Baou
3 Dimensional Fissure
3 Hidden Armory
3 Upstart Goblin
2 Different Dimension Reincarnation
1 Gravity Axe - Grarl
1 Monster Reborn
1 Heavy Storm
1 Fairy of the Spring
1 Fissure
1 Book of Moon
What began as a good lineup to demonstrate game mechanics will now transition into a lineup which emphasizes beneficial trades. That is, what kind of spells will pay for themselves over time? The Equip spells in this list come at a heavy price (often requiring a discard) and will not suffice. Perhaps Evan missed that the 3 copies of Hidden Armory cannot be activated at all if Dimensional Fissure or Macro Cosmos are face up on the field (another exercise in improving synergy). Additionally, we have 3 Upstart Goblin in a 42 card deck. Upstart (which Pat has written extensively on) is a great way to make a 40 card deck run almost like a 37 card deck, but when it is included in a deck with more than 40, its benefit is nullified. We can instead utilize Pot of Duality, as Dimensional Fissure + Eatos, while not feeling like a combo, IS a combo. Two unsearchable combo pieces are difficult to get together successfully, and we’ll need all the help we can get from cards like Duality.
Because your core strategy of D-Fis and Macro include these very cards which do not pay for themselves in card advantage, it is extra crucial that every other card you run is really good on its own. Reborn and Heavy, while traditionally staple, are less “live” (as defined earlier) in this deck since you are invested in keeping the grave clear and your backrow locked down.
-3 Wicked Breaking Flamberge - Baou
-3 Hidden Armory
-3 Upstart Goblin
-2 Different Dimension Reincarnation
-1 Gravity Axe - Grarl
-1 Monster Reborn
-1 Heavy Storm
-1 Fairy of the Spring
-1 Fissure
+1 Burden of the Mighty
+2 Pot of Duality
+1 Dark Hole
+1 Mind Control
+1 Enemy Controller
+2 Forbidden Lance
Traps
3 Macro Cosmos
1 The Transmigration Prophecy
1 Return from the Different Dimension
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Starlight Road
Any deck that has ever had its entire strategy hinge on the protection of one critical spell/trap card has always drawn support from Dark Bribe. At this stage in the deck building process it would be helpful to teach any would-be student of yours how card advantage is sometimes trumped by protecting your setup, and Dark Bribe provides one of the most basic illustrations of this. In 2011, Hansel Aguero defeated Sam Pedigo in the finals of nats, and Dark Bribe proved utterly crucial for Aguero, who used it to protect his setups from being infiltrated (especially since he ran Skill Drain). Bribe is a more diverse card than Road that will not cost you games because your opponent did not draw one of the two cards in his entire deck that triggers it.
-1 Macro Cosmos
-1 Return
-1 Road
-1 Transmigration
+3 Bribe
+2 Mirror Force
+2 Torrential Tribute
+2 Bottomless Trap Hole
+1 Solemn Warning
+1 Solemn Judgment
Extra Deck
Rank 3s and 4s will make up our list, with a solitary rank 8 should the two Eatos not suffice. Leviair will be the most important summon, for how it retrieves many of the cards in the main.
Final List
Main Deck: 40
Monsters: 14
3 D.D. Surivor
3 Guardian Eatos
2 Doomcaliber Knight
2 Cyber Valley
2 D.D. Warrior Lady
2 Tour Guide from the Underworld
Spells: 12
3 Dimensional Fissure
2 Forbidden Lance
2 Pot of Duality
1 Book of Moon
1 Burden of the Mighty
1 Dark Hole
1 Mind Control
1 Enemy Controller
Traps: 14
3 Dark Bribe
2 Macro Cosmos
2 Mirror Force
2 Torrential Tribute
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Compulsory Evacuation Device
1 Solemn Warning
1 Solemn Judgment
Extra Deck: 15
1 Wind-Up Zenmaines
1 Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction
1 Temtempo the Percussion Djinn
1 Number 20: Giga-Brilliant
2 Leviair the Sea Dragon
1 Gagaga Cowboy
1 Gem-Knight Pearl
1 Maestroke the Symphony Djinn
1 Number 39: Utopia
1 Number C39: Utopia Ray
1 Number 50: Blackship of Corn
1 Photon Papilloperative
1 Steelswarm Roach
1 Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord Heliopolis
Good luck Evan on your deck; make sure to protect your win condition and hone in on card choices that generate 1 for 1 trades in advantage on a consistent basis.
A final congrats to all who recently graduated. Now go out and practice for nats (or teach someone Yugioh)!
Until next time,
Play Hard or Go Home.
Sincerely,
Johnny
Johnny Li
Latest posts by Johnny Li (see all)
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