What about Agent Angels?

Agent Angels... 3 structure decks melded into a top-tier deck. Everyone asked for it for years, and when it finally came, everyone became angry?

I read somewhere on another blog that Tengu-driven Synchro and Agent Angel are opposites, because Tengu wins by doing any move that currently is good and having a good number of moves to chose from, and that Agent Angel only can do Earth into Venus, Venus into Gachi, and then drop boss monsters till they win.
Of course the variants playing T.G. monsters also have the options to do minor Synchro plays, but that is mostly irrelevant.

I used to believe that as well, until the last tournament I played in.


This guy played an insanely teched Agent Angel.

He played these cards in his deck:

These cards offer so much for the deck. Agent Angel has space, he chose to fill that space by thinking smartly, breaking new ground. The only other tech choices I've seen are Debris Dragon, Card Trooper, Genex Ally Birdman and the not-so-techish Tour Guide.

These cards have synergy, which is the first thing to note. A drop of Exodius followed by Eatos is powerful. Also, Exodius recylces Mystical Shine Balls, which few other cards can do effectively (barring Pot of Avarice, but that counteracts against Hyperion and Venus more). He is also always playable, makes for some great surprise plays.

Keep in mind that you can overlay Daigusto Phoenix, giving you an instant Shine Ball for giving Exodius 1000 ATK, then you attack and send down the third Shine Ball for 2000 ATK.

1600+2000+1500+1500 = 7600. That is quite a lot for a combo requiring two unrestricted cards and any 1 monster in your Graveyard. Of course this result won't be achieved everytime, but I hope you get the point.

Debris Dragon is played to give greater Synchro options, mainly for the Shine Ball+Debris+Venus=Trishula play, but also in some extent for Trident Dragion. Yes, Trident Dragion.

This is another underrated card, which should see more play. Debris+Iron Chain is this fabolous card which will, ALWAYS, come as a surprise. Surprise is a great moment. It is however not as fun when your opponent drops Herald on your Trident Dragion. Makes me want to scream.

If you control Venus and Earth, you pay out for 3 Shine Balls, synchro Iron Chain or Orient Dragon, then summon Debris Dragon, resurrect the Shine Ball and synchro Triden Dragion. Boom the Shine Balls, drop Kristya (3 Shine Balls, 1 Earth).

Good game next please.

Yes, it is a bit situational, but I assure you that plays like that are possible, and even if they weren't, Debris Dragon is still a good tech.

D.D. Unicorn Knight

When you see this card, I guess your first thought to be either "WTF" or "What does that card do?".

I can answer both (although 'WTF' technically isn't a question), this is D.D. Unicorn Knight, and I am going to continue trying to make a good deck using him. The card has, in my opinion, some serious potential.

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned if your opponent controls a monster(s) and you control a face-up Tuner monster(s). When this card is Special Summoned this way, you can select 1 of your removed from play Level 3 or lower non-Tuner monsters and Special Summon it. Its effect(s) are negated. You cannot Normal Summon or Set the turn you Special Summon this card.

Control a tuner; easy.
Haven't Normal Summoned yet; easy
Have a level 3 or lower banished non-Tuner: average

Using Plaguespreader you can drop out a Trishula. The same goes for Krebons (nobody plays this anymore, I know). Other useful tuners are Unknown Synchron, Glow-Up, Spore etc. Spore is especially efficient since it banishes that Dandylion to get a level 7 or 8 Synchro, plus Dandylion. It is also a LIGHT monster, meaning we have additional Chaos targets. It is also searchable by Reinforcement of the Army and the Warrior Returning Alive.

The big problem is how to remove the monster. Chaos monsters work, Spore does, Mark of the Rose works, recycling Necro Gardna, Gold Sarcophagus does... but the idea seems to need some card that either removes itself or more readily removes cards. Can you think of anything?


Small unrelated side note: Possessed Dark Soul is awesome! Level 3 Dark Fiend, meaning it can be used with Tour Guide. It can also be used AGAINST Tour Guide by stealing her and the monster she summoned, and then you overlay using their Sangan, which is not such a good thing anymore!

Engines...

When the game was young, deck usually consisted of just the best cards, essentially leaving deck building an unused factor.
Ng Yu Leung played 27 single copies of his World Championship 2003 winning deck.
2007 this number was 19. The only kind of combo was Monarch + Treeborn and Card Trooper + Machine Duplication.
2011 this number was 9. The deck was an archetype, consisting of 6 set up cards to play 5 boss monsters.

As the game developed, 'engines' were developed. An engine is essentially a set of cards which work together, meaning less broken splashable single cards needed printing.
Engines had their prime during the TeleDAD era, were the Destiny Draw-Emergency Teleport-Dark Armed Dragon had ridiculously high synergy, and raw power.

The goal of this post is to bring forth some of the engines that still exists, how to play them, and what they accomplish.

Side Decking

This is one commonly discussed topic, and also a vast and for some people curious science.
I have always believed side decking to be simple, but on forums and real life I often see side decks being argued over, and many players miss the basic points about side deck.

Many player are also too insecure about their own side deck and end up doing the great mistake of net decking a side deck, which often is a one way trip to a loss.
Side decking is complex, but can easily be broken down. It requires the same kind of knowledge as used when building a main deck, but the skill also lies in exchanging the right cards for the right cards.


1. What do you expect to face?
This one is actually self explanatory but sometimes overlooked. Even if you have a wickedly bad matchup against Gravity Bind based decks, you shouldn't fear them as the aren't numerous enough to have an impact.

2. What do you struggle against?
For example, let's say I'm playing my Dark World Tour deck. That means I really heavily on Special Summons, need to keep my Field Card alive, thrive on face-down cards, and can handle Skill Drain but not Macro Cosmos.
Try to think along these lines.

3. What do those decks struggle against?
Macro has nothing but a bunch of bad monsters when facing S/T removal, King Tiger Wanghu mutilates an entire Plant deck except for Tengu, Thunder King Rai-Oh makes T.G. and Gadgets next to useless, etc.


Then comes the conclusion;
I should include cards into my side deck, which doesn't hinder me, but hinders my opponent, whom I else would have a hard time beating.

Newer players often makes the mistake of including cards they couldn't fit into their main deck into their side deck, which is very wrong most times. Sure, some cards fit well into both main and side deck, like Effect Veiler, but this rare.


For example, take this 1st place Tengu Plant side deck from YCS Indianapolis;
2 Thunder King Rai-Oh
2 Banisher of the Radiance
2 Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo
2 Forbidden Lance
2 Dimensional Prison
1 Mirror Force
1 Royal Oppression
1 Chain Disappearance
1 Chain Whirlwind
1 Malevolent Catastrophe

At first glance, this side deck seems flawed. The deck itself relies heavily on the Graveyard, searching, and Special Summoning meaning Banisher, Rai-Oh and Fossil Dyna respectively stops you.
In addition, these monsters are almost always used in Anti-Meta, and only rarely used against or in Synchro-based decks.

However, given the fact that these are your cards, and in your hand, means you chose when to use them and when to not. An unprepared opponent will have side decked in copies of Chain Disappearance, D.D. Crow, Effect Veiler and other similar cards to stop you. These cards not only become dead due to the lack of plays to stop, but additionally their deck now lies in pieces due to your beatdown Anti-Meta style plays.
Then we have the more common cards in form of Spell and Trap Destruction. This deck main decks Effect Veiler, meaning it isn't side decked.

The above is an example of more extreme side decking, because this side deck is meant to modify your main deck into another deck, designed to both ruin your opponent's main AND side deck, at the cost of switching strategy.


This strategy is effective due to the fact that Tengu Plant has a very strong game 1, meaning you will mostly win against other decks game 1, then switching to a different approach which not only ruins their side decking, but gives you an edge. The choice of Anti-Meta based monsters were clearly based upon the mirror match, which also was abundant; of the top 16 decks 8 were Tengu Plants.


As a second example, the Tengu Plant 2nd place finishing player;
1 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter
2 Thunder King Rai-Oh
2 Kinetic Soldier
2 D.D. Crow
1 Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo
1 Smashing Ground
2 Dust Tornado
1 Mirror Force
1 Chain Disappearance
2 Malevolent Catastrophe


No Banisher or Royal Oppression, but instead more assurance against a normal player.
This deck also contains hints of counter side decking, as Ryko and Smashing Ground obviously are meant to counter opposing Banishers, Fossil Dynas, and Rai-Ohs.
Other than that, it contains the typical side deck elements, S/T removal, anti-Six Samurai, and D.D. Crow.
As a conclusion, this side deck is made to give you an edge, without losing the original consistency or changing playstyle.




Now, re-read the intro points marked 1-3.
Okay, now I know what side deck is supposed to do, but how do I do it?
This is were I give you a list of side deck-eligible cards, including what to use them in and against. This is merely an approximation to get you started and is based on my own experiences, tournament reports, feature matches and theory. Meant primary for the new ban list.

Facing the New Frontier

Don't know which cards suddenly became good during the new format?
Well you won't have to wait much longer...

Cards that gain power:


Tour Guide from the Underworld
Oh here we have her, everyone's favourite random +1 and the worst enemy of your wallet. Being at 200$ each this card is expensive, but it IS good, and you have a much better chance at winning if your deck can implement it (which your deck probably can).
I hate this type of card, not because of the general idea but because of Sangan. More specifically because of the stupid Exceed ruling by that retard Kevin Tewart. If Sangan did not get its effect all you would have gained was a bigger monster and a very very slight deck thin.
But as long as the combo is alive, Tour Guide will remain one of the best cards in the coming format.

Effect Veiler
This magician (not an angel as an angel is the OCG name for Fairy) was good and has now turned into a considerable force. With more spell/trap removal, the "lasting" cards will be more effective.
She can stops Tour Guide, she can stop Chaos Sorcerer/Black Luster Soldier, and if they used their first effect they can't attack. She is also Light to help them, AND is a Tuner.
This means Effect Veiler effectively stops your opponent's best cards, makes your best cards easier to play, can be searched through Tour Guide+Sangan+Exceed, and is a Tuner.
It adds variety, while also making the deck overall better. Her bad point is that she doesn't do anything against an already played card, and has the not so superb stats of 0/0.
I think you should play at least 1 copy in every TCG deck, and even up to 3 main-decked copies because stopping that t1 Tour Guide, rendering her a vanilla 1000 beatstick is simply to powerful.
If you can't manage 3 copies 2 copies will be just fine.

Thunder King Rai-Oh
He is back. And he is going to stay. Seems like every card I post has some relation to Tour Guide...
He can stop Overlays, and he can stop the Sangan searches, all while being big and beefy. He is also the grandmaster of stopping Pot of Duality, Charge of the Light Brigade and Six Samurai decks in general.
Also Light, fitting well with Chaos Sorcerer and friends, being a great t1 drop and almost impossible to play around using traditional means except Book of Moon.

Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer
A dark for Chaos Sorcerer and BLS, while simultaneously stopping them from hitting the opponenet's field, while stopping Gate of the Dark World, Spore, Dark Armed Dragon, Necro Gardna, Destiny Hero - Malicious, and making Judgment Dragon, Pot of Avarice, and Grapha nearly useless.
He is like soooo underrated right now, while he in reality is extremely good.

Gorz the Emissary of Darkness
Fewer backrows = more direct attacks and therefore more Gorz. This in my opinion quite possibly the best card in the game, even more so now.

Tragoedia
The same as Gorz. Keep in mind though to never set 3+ cards (even if Heavy Storm is gone) as you might draw one of the top of the deck and have it dead. Exceed greatly makes this card stronger.


Ally of Justice Decisive Armor
Here comes the game finisher! This card is often overlooked, but is is simply broken. There is no other word for this card. Sporting 3 powerful effects, including a simple +1, a Harpie's Feather Duster and a game finisher. All of this, placed in the Extra Deck and attached to a 3300 ATK body.
This is the reason Lightsworn struggled to win in Japan during the 3 Charge era. Their main nemesis, Zombies, can easily pull this out using Zombie Master+Goblin Zombie+Plaguespreader, and the effect might end the game right there. Not to mention it is a generic Level 10 Synchro, and with the rule of side-decking Extra decked cards, he doesn't even have to reside in your actual Extra deck.
As an added bonus, he is also good against Gemini beat by killing of their backrows, and against Fabled and Angel (his effect 'sends' the Fabled cards so their effects doesn't activate), but be on the lookout for Effect Veiler and Herald of Orange Light. If possible, declare them for Mind Crush before the effect as you will still lose your hand.
As far as my am concerned, he will be a star in the next format.
A huge, metallic, wicked star, but a star nonetheless.

Spell Calling
Yeah this one is a little trollface, but I think it could actually work. There are quite obviously better options like Dark Coffin, but this effect is probably the best one if you actually get it.

Mind Control
This is one overpowered card. What started out as a really bad card, became a staple in Synchro Cat-like decks, and was then consequently limited.
Now the card has reached epic proportions and can be played in any deck.
Have a Tuner in hand? Synchro time.
Have a monster of the same level? Exceed time.
Gladiator Beast mirror? Fusion time.
Don't have either but almost have game? Control for 1 turn allows for some direct attacks.
Even if you have none of the above, it is still possible to use the effect, for example nuking with Dark Armed, steal a face-down Spy or Ryko, or even a face-up Lyla. It is also a counter to the Chaos Cadre, letting them remove themselves.
The game's mechanics has changed, and this once bad card is now a great contender for being banned, in my opinion.

Enemy Controller
Allows for better Tour Guide shenanigans and has a similar effect to Mind Control, but is chainable. Also goes well with tokens, and is great for suprise Accel Synchro plays.
With so many cards like Ryko essentially being "dead" after using their effects, there is nothing better than stealing something for virtually no cost.

Smashing Ground
Here comes the great return!
It is an instant out to any annoying monster, and kills Exceeds along with the annoying aforementioned Kycoo and Rai-Oh.
Great against decks with either few monsters or decks with small capabilities of creating Stardust Dragon. Early on I can see it coming as a bit of a surprise as well, furthering the impact of its effect.


Starlight Road
This card was released and saw enormous play, then died with the banning of Heavy Storm.
Now is the time for a comeback, killing of Black Rose Dragon, Celestia, Judgment Dragon, Icarus Attack, Heavy Storm, Torrential Tribute, Mirror Force, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and so on.
While using Rescue Rabbit/Rekindling it can also negate Bottomless Trap Hole. Extra deck space is more limited than ever, but making room for at least 1 Stardust Dragon shouldn't be impossible.

Bottomless Trap Hole
Contrary to popular belief that this card should be bad in a removal-heavy format, this card shines now. Most decks either don't readily have access to their removal or their removal are monster based, like Lyla. Strictly speaking, this card is in reality only really good in the OCG due to the lack of priority and the abundance of Vayu-based decks.

Mind Crush
Up on 2, fresh to kill of your opponent's Beckoning Light or Sangan search (which will be seeing a lot of play now) and it is really good against Agents. They often play multiple Pot of Duality, and their boss monsters are easy to read. In Dark World you can also purposely guess wrong, just to see your opponent's hand and discard a random card from your hand.

Chain Disappearance
This card kills Tour Guide, but there are some problems. First off, if you chose to remove Tour Guide and the other copies of her, your opponent will keep Sangan. If you chose Sangan, your opponent will still have 2 Tour Guides left in order to make Leviair and retrieve him.
Generally, removing Tour Guide is the way to go, but if facing a deck sporting double but not triple Tour Guides, or if holding another removal card to prevent Leviair, you should remove Sangan.