Constructing the Gravekeeper Deck- Kyle Theaker ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 15:20:41 -0500 Hello Pojo goers. I'm Kyle and I'll be doing deck fixes/constructions for as long as Pojo lets me. I plan to structure my fixes like Jaelove, 1 construction and 1 fix of the same theme. Today, I'll be constructing the Gravekeeper deck. Gravekeeper decks always had it going for them. They had all the support they needed in just 1 set. The great thing about a Gravekeeper deck is, many "staples" are ignored in a Gravekeeper deck. Many people overlooked this deck, but now, they reconsider. Gravekeeper decks shut down Chaos, Zombies, Warrior Control, Fiends, and just about any other deck that employs the graveyard. All this is done by 1 little card, Necrovalley. For those who don't know, here's what it does. PGD-084 Necrovalley ---Super Rare Magic Card: Field As long as this card remains face-up on the field, all effects of Magic, Trap, and/or Effect Monster Cards that involve Graveyards are negated and neither player can remove cards in the Graveyards from play. In addition, increase the ATK and DEF of all monsters that includes "Gravekeeper's" in their card name by 500 points. Beautiful, no. This is the center of a Gravekeeper deck. If you're building a Gravekeeper deck, you gotta have this in triples. Any deck based around a Field card needs some way to get it out. Let's run 2 Terraformings for that purpose. Another problem Field card-based deck face is Spell removal. 2 Magic Reflectors handle that problem. We'll get back to the Spells later; now, it's on to the Monsters. The Monsters of a Gravekeeper deck are obviously Gravekeepers. First, we'll play 2 Gravekeeper's Chief, the patriarch of the clan. PGD-065 Gravekeeper's Chief ---Super Rare Dark/Spellcaster/5 stars/ATK 1900/DEF 1200 You can have only 1 face-up "Gravekeeper's Chief" on your side of the field at any time. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, your Graveyard is not affected by "Necrovalley". When you Tribute Summon this monster, you can Special Summon 1 monster that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name from your Graveyard If you like, you may substitute 1 Chief for another tribute monster, but be sure to run at least 1. Now, let's look for searchers. How 'bout Gravekeeper's Spy? PGD-059 Gravekeeper's Spy ---Short Print Dark/Spellcaster/4 stars/ATK 1200/DEF 2000 FLIP: Select 1 monster that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name with an ATK of 1500 or less from your Deck and Special Summon it in face-up Attack or Defense Position. The Deck is then shuffled. This can search out ANY Gravekeeper except the Chief. It also has a giant 2500 defense with Necrovalley out. We gotta play 3. Now, we'll throw in 1 Sangan. Next, a Mystic Tomato. This evil little fruit can also search out any Gravekeeper except the Chief. Now, onto the attackers. PGD-062 Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier ---Short Print Dark/Spellcaster/4 stars/ATK 1500/DEF 1000 When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. PGD-067 Gravekeeper's Assailant Dark/Spellcaster/4 stars/ATK 1500/DEF 1500 You can activate this card's effect only when "Necrovalley" is active on the field. When this card attacks, you can change the battle position of 1 face-up monster on your opponent's side of the field. Both of these guys hit the field with a robust 2000 Atk. They are also very disruptive to the opponent. 3 of each, for sure. Now let's look at the "lesser Gravekeepers". PGD-060 Gravekeeper's Curse Dark/Spellcaser/3 stars/ATK 800/DEF 800 When this monster is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, inflict 500 points of Direct Damage to your opponent's Life Points. PGD-061 Gravekeeper's Guard Dark/Spellcaster/4 stars/ATK 1000/DEF 1900 FLIP: Select 1 Monster Card on your opponent's side of the field (regardless of position) and return it to its owner's hand. PGD-063 Gravekeeper's Vassal Dark/Spellcaster/3 stars/ATK 700/DEF 500 The Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent's Life Points is treated as the Effect Damage of this card. PGD-064 Gravekeeper's Watcher ---Rare Dark/Spellcaster/4/ATK 1000/DEF 1000 When your opponent activates a card that includes the effect of making your opponent discard from his/her hand (this does not include the cost of discarding costs), you can activate this card by discarding this card from your hand to the Graveyard. Negate the activation and effect of the card and destroy it. PGD-066 Gravekeeper's Cannonholder ---Short Print Dark/Spellcaster/4 stars/ATK 1400/DEF 1200 Offer 1 card that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name on your side of the field as a tribute to inflict 700 points of Direct Damage to your opponent's Life Points. However, you cannot offer this card or another "Gravekeeper's Cannonholder" with this card's effect. Monsters used for a Tribute Summon or that are offered as Tributes due to other cards' effects are excluded. Curse is only good in a Gravekeeper Burn deck (it is possible) and Vassal is just weird. Watcher can negate Kuriboh, but that's about it. However, there are 2 more playable Gravekeepers out there. Guard is a nice Bouncer with a 2400 Necrovalley-boosted defense. It also bounces monsters back to their owner's hand. It can defend while you look for Necrovalley, or clear the field for a big rush. Play 1-2. Cannonholder is also a nice, albeit overlooked, card. It is a 1900 Atk. Monster and good finisher. It can burn away used up Spies and Guards, do damage under Swords of Revealing Light, or launch the field for the game. The one thing it can't do is launch an opponent's monster (unless they run Gravekeepers too.) Now, we need a plan, just in case they eliminate all of our Necrovalleys. Let's play 1 Magician of Faith. She'll dive right into the Graveyard and bring a 'Valley back for you. There are some other ideas for monsters. -Spirit Reaper (defense until Necrovalley) -Breaker the Magical Warrior -Exiled Force -Tribe -Sinister Serpent -Cyber Jar Let's get back to Spells, now. Play Pot Of Greed and Graceful Charity; they're both Staples. You need stalling until you get Necrovalley. SoRL handles that. Spell/Trap removal is invaluable to this deck and any deck, really. Play Heavy Storm and MST. Now, we need Monster removal. Lightning Vortex is powerful, but we also need Nobleman of Crossout to handle Face-down monsters. Snatch Steal is so mainstream that every deck runs it. This deck is no exception. Last but not least, 1 Royal Tribute adds some nice Monster disruption. PGD-091 Royal Tribute Magic Card This card can only be activated when your "Necrovalley" is active on the field. Both players must discard all monster cards in their hand to the Graveyard. Traps are last here. I'm not adding Call of the Haunted for the same reason that Premature Burial isn't included. That reason is Rite of Spirit. PGD-100 Rite of Spirit Trap Card Select 1 Monster Card that includes "Gravekeeper's" in its card name from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack or Defense Position. This card's activation and effect is not affected by "Necrovalley". This is all the Recursion that Gravekeeper decks need. Run three. Mirror Force is back, meaning no more need for Sakuretsu Armor. 2 Magic Drains are a must. Protect Necrovalley by all means necessary. One last trap is needed. Deck Devastation Virus. Do not adjust you screens. You are reading this correctly. With Necrovalley out, many of your monsters will be 2000+ Atk. This takes advantage of that. And now, here's a sample Gravekeeper Deck build: Monsters: 17 [2] Gravekeeper's Chief [3] Gravekeeper's Spy [3] Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier [3] Gravekeeper's Assailant [2] Gravekeeper's Guard [1] Gravekeeper's Cannonholder [1] Sangan [1] Magician of Faith [1] Exiled Force Spells: 16 [3] Necrovalley [2] Terraforming [2] Magic Reflector [1] Pot of Greed [1] Graceful Charity [1] Lightning Vortex [1] Nobleman of Crossout [1] Heavy Storm [1] Mystical Space Typhoon [1] Swords of Revealing Light [1] Snatch Steal [1] Royal Tribute Traps: 7 [3] Rite of Spirit [2] Magic Drain [1] Mirror Force [1] Deck Devastation Virus There you have it. Next I'll be fixing a Gravekeeper deck, so send yours in now. Kyle Theaker (annie0913@bellsouth.net)