JULY 2008

Deck Fix: Monarch deck - Master of Shadows

Hello, everyone. Another deck fix have I for you, so let's get to fixing, shall we?

Hey, I'm Kevin, and me and my friend's, "Team" is trying to move into some more competitive tournaments.  We recently entered our first Regional tournament, and this was my deck.  It performed less than satisfactory, and I'm looking for new ways to improve it.  I love your deck fixes, and I'd love for you to give me a hand.
 
Monsters:  28
 
3 Caius the Shadow Monarch
2 Zaborg the Thunder Monarch
2 Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch
1 Raiza the Storm Monarch
1 Mobius the Frost Monarch
 
3 Hydrogeddon
3 Nimble Momonga
3 Mystic Tomato
2 Legendary Jujitsu Master
1 Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive
1 Snipe Hunter
1 Sangan
1 D.D. Warrior Lady
1 Exiled Force
1 Spirit Reaper
1 Marshmallon
1 Des Kangaroo
 
Spells:  8
2 Soul Exchange
1 Monster Reborn
1 Smashing Ground
1 Lightning Vortex
1 Heavy Storm
1 Brain Control
1 Mystical Space Typhoon
 
Traps:  4
1 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Torrential Tribute
1 Pheonix Wing Wind Blast
1 Sakuretsu Armor
 
Side Deck:  15
2 Old Vindictive Magician
1 Exiled Force
1 Des Kangaroo
3 Anti-Fusion Device
2 Royal Decree
2 Sakuretsu Armor
2 Light-Imprisoning Mirror
2 Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror
 
The idea of this deck is the same as just about every other Monarch deck out there:  Get monarchs out fast and use there one for one advantage to overpower the opponent.
 
I realize some of the cards may seem out of place:  Mainly Des Kangaroo and Anti-Fusion Device.  Kangaroo was actually just a fun piece of tech that I wanted to try out, and he worked fairly well most of the time.  Anti-Fusion Device is for Gladiator Beasts.  Gladiators didn't function before Prisma and Gyzarus, so let's see them work if I kill the fusion!  It may be a good idea, but I havn't faced a Gladiator deck since I put them in, so I've yet to test.
 
I would also like to note that I have had both gravekeeper and apprentice engines suggested to me, and have tested both.  I've found this build superior to either of them

A Monarch deck, I see. Let's see what I can do with this. Time to start cutting.

Cards to cut:

- 2 Zaborg the Thunder Monarch

- 3 Hydrogeddon

- 3 Mystic Tomato

- 1 D.D. Warrior Lady

- 1 Des Kangaroo

- 1 Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive

- 1 Sakuretsu Armor

I cut 12 cards from this deck. Zaborg because Caius and Raiza have rendered it useless. Hydrogeddon because it will often get stuck in your hand and become something of a dead card. Mystic Tomato because there's a better replacement for this deck. D.D. Warrior Lady because you have a lot of other options for it here. Des Kangaroo won't help too much since no one really attacks with anything less than 1500 unless they know the monster won't hurt them in the case of Gladiator Beasts decks. Dekoichi because, while it's decent draw power, just one will do no good and I'm going to replace it with something else. Sakuretsu Armor because there's a better way.

Now to add things:

+ 3 Giant Rat

+ 1 Neo-Spacian Grand Mole

+ 1 Card Trooper

+ 2 Enemy Controller

+ 1 Premature Burial

+ 2 Bottomless Trap Hole

+ 2 Solemn Judgment / Dark Bribe

I added 12, bringing you back to 40. Giant Rat to search out monsters that can either be used or Tributed off, much in the same way you used Mystic Tomato. Grand Mole to bounce things out of your way. Card Trooper to run through your deck and serve as a beatstick of sorts and it gives you a draw when destroyed. Enemy Controller for battle tricks and clearing things out of the way. Premature Burial because it was missing. Bottomless to help remove opposing threats. Solemn Judgment / Dark Bribe to protect you from harmful cards.

The main problem with your deck was that there was very little Spell / Trap support for your cards, making it very easy for your opponent to blow through you. You don't need a large monster count for this deck. 18-23 is usually sufficient, sometimes even less. I did what I could for this. Enjoy.

Questions, comments, suggestions, etc. can be sent to darkdestructionv30@yahoo.com

Until next time.....