Subject: How to beat down a Beatdown, from the devil's mouth -- The
Pixelsmith

There have lately been a lot of rants on Beatdown decks, and how they are 
either totally awesome, or how they are cheap and disgusting.  I like to 
think that a Beatdown deck is like any deck type-- pick the type of deck 
that suits your style.  My brother plays a modified Kaiba deck that uses 
Lord of D to whip out his BEWDs fast and Monster Reborn and Magician of 
Faith to keep bringing them back.  My sister's deck uses the Little 
Swordsman, cheap monsters to sacrifice, powerups, and defences to keep the 
small guy alive and increasing in power.

Both have beaten my Beatdown.

A Beatdown deck ISN'T for people who want to eschew strategy altogether. 
Beatdowns are fast and have an easy learning curve, but they are weak to 
Hand Destruction, Reset buttons, and other such funness.  If you can stall 
long enough to bring out the level Seven powerhouses (use Mystic Elf, Giant 
Soldier of Stone, Wall of Illusion, etc..), you can smash through the 
La-Jinns and 7-Colored Fishes with ease.  Trap Hole is really annoying, and 
for those who have nothing but mega-hitters, sacrificing a beloved La-Jinn 
to bring out an uber Summoned Skull only to have it Man-Eater Bugged or 
Hane-Haned is worthy of many tears.

I guess the point is that Beatdowns are *FAST* decks that aim for victory 
in the first few moves.  Whenever I have been tempted to go on the 
defensive because, for example, I have Soul Exchange and I think I might 
get my BEWD, I have been crushed.  Use fun little cards like Fissure, Trap 
Hole, Dark Hole, Man-Eater Bug, Wall of Illusion, etc, to keep the big guys 
off the field while you set up your strategy.  After the initial burst of 
power, these decks tend to peter out.

Got an Issue with what I said?  Send me an email at 
evanhartshorn@hotmail.com, and please make the title meaningful, as I get a 
ton of Junk mail ("Instant Herbal Viagra" will not even be considered.)

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