Hey everyone!! My store just recently got Strike of Neos and like many other people out there I’m sure you have all noticed a few cards in particular.  Neospacian Grand Mole being one, and the others are a bunch of weapon wielding samurai. Now you can actually make a theme deck around an already powerful deck type.  Let’s take a closer look, shall we?

 

STON-EN000

GRANDMASTER OF THE SIX SAMURAI

Earth

LV5

ATK/2100 DEF/900

[Warrior/Effect]

You can only have 1 "Grandmaster of the Six Samurai" monster on your side of the field. While you control a face-up "Six Samurai" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card effect, add 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Graveyard to your hand.

83030729

Secret Rare

 

The heavy hitter of the bunch and it can kamikaze with a Cyber Dragon.  Summon any other Samurai, and you can drop this big guy.  When it gets destroyed by your opponent’s card effect, which is unique, you get another Samurai added to your hand from the graveyard.  Great way to start the cycle all over again.  It gives you a little bit of compensation for getting hit by Mirror Force, Sakuretsu, Exiled, Zaborg, etc.

 

The rest of the Samurai get their main effects when a Samurai with a different name is on the field as well, which is a minor downside.  And they also all get the effect of being able to sacrifice one to save another when it would be destroyed.  Great way of keeping a crucial Samurai on the field.  And, since they are all level 4 or lower warriors, they can be searched out by Reinforcements, and some of them are searchable by Recruiters and Sangan. 

 

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THE SIX SAMURAI – YAICHI

Water

LV3

ATK/1300 DEF/800

[Warrior/Effect]

Once per turn, while you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, you can destroy 1 Set Spell or Trap Card. This monster cannot declare an attack during the turn this effect is used. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

64398890

Common

 

This is probably one of the better of the Six Samurai.  It sort of reminds me of Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning, except it destroys set Spell/Trap in exchange for it’s attack.  Since it has to be set Spell/Traps it’s got limited uses, but it will at least force the activation of the card it targets.  Not bad.

 

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THE SIX SAMURAI – KAMON

Fire

LV3

ATK/1500 DEF/1000

[Warrior/Effect]

Once per turn, while you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, you can destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card. This monster cannot declare an attack during the turn this effect is used. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

90397998

Common

 

Quite similar to Yaichi, except for face-up spell/traps.  In my opinion, not quite as good.  Unless you are playing a burn deck or a Decree deck of some sort, you generally won’t get to use this guy quite as much.

 

STON-EN009

THE SIX SAMURAI – YARIZA

Earth

LV3

ATK/1000 DEF/500

[Warrior/Effect]

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

69025477

Common

 

Pretty simple effect, 1000 points of direct damage isn’t all that bad, but isn’t great either.  This could give you the game, but it could also potentially leave a monster on your opponent’s field that could do you some real damage next turn.  I wouldn’t recommend him, personally.  Maybe if he had a some more attack power…

 

STON-EN010

THE SIX SAMURAI – NISASHI

Wind

LV4

ATK/1400 DEF/700

[Warrior/Effect]

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, this card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

31904181

Common

 

Well, while I like this more than Yariza, it isn’t too much better.  With 1400 attack, this won’t be able to kill all that much.  But, like most of the Samurai, there are some that work really well with others.  I could see this making it into a Samurai deck, but just not as many as some of the others.

 

STON-EN011

THE SIX SAMURAI – ZANJI

Light

LV4

ATK/1800 DEF/1300

[Warrior/Effect]

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, destroy any monster this card attacks at the end of the Damage Step. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

95519486

Common

 

This is one of the best of the Six Samurai.  Attack a Mobius, destroy it while Sacrificing a different Samurai so that you can do this again next turn.  Obviously though this effect only works when Zanji ATTACKS.  If he gets attacked, I’m afraid he (or another Samurai if you use his effect) will be biting the dust.  According to what I’ve been told, however, Zanji must survive the battle (which could happen with the help of it’s last effect) and their must be that extra Samurai at the end of the Damage Step in order for this to work.  This means you could need 3 Samurai out.

 

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THE SIX SAMURAI – IROU

Dark

LV4

ATK/1700 DEF/1200

[Warrior/Effect]

While you control another "Six Samurai" monster with a different name, if this card attacks a face-down Defense Position monster, destroy the monster immediately with this card's effect without flipping it face up or applying damage calculation. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy another "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

27782503

Common

 

The second best of the 6 Samurai (after Zanji).  Mystic Swordsman’s effect with 1700 attack.  Pretty good.

 

While the above seven cards are the main muscle of the deck, Strike of Neos gave them plenty of other support.  Some good….some bad. 

 

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GREAT SHOGUN SHIEN

Fire

LV7

ATK/2500 DEF/2400

[Warrior/Effect]

If you control 2 or more "Six Samurai" monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Your opponent can activate only 1 Spell/Trap Card each turn. If this card would be destroyed you can destroy 1 "Six Samurai" monster you control instead.

63176202

Super Rare/Ultimate Rare

 

Obviously, this is a little harder to get out than Grandmaster, but it does get the Six Samurai effect that Grandmaster was left without.  While this card is on the field, you basically give the opponent a mini-lockdown, limiting the offensive or defensive capabilities of them for a turn.  You also aren’t required to have another Six Samurai for this to work, though, of course based on his Special Summoning effect, you would presume you have one out anyway.  I might play one in a deck.

 

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SHIEN'S FOOTSOLDIER

Earth

LV2

ATK/700 DEF/300

[Warrior/Effect]

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck.

99675356

Common

 

Here we have the official recruiter of the Six Samurai. Unlike other recruiter, however, it can’t search for itself so you won’t be able to block multiple attack with him, and the monsters it can bring out won’t exactly stand up against big stuff.  But, in the right situation, you can bring out a Six Samurai, summon another and a Grandmaster next turn, and go to town.

 

STON-EN040

LEGENDARY EBON STEED

[Equip Spell Card]

Equip only to a "Six Samurai" monster. It gains 200 ATK and DEF. If it would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.

12324546

Common

 

Only 200 attack and defense isn’t really worth it, and the second ability is sort of redundant because of the already built in effect that the six samurai have.  Though, I suppose if a Six Samurai is all alone, it might come in handy.

 

STON-EN047

SHIEN'S CASTLE OF MIST

[Field Spell Card]

When a "Six Samurai" monster is attacked, the attacking monster loses 500 ATK during damage calculation only.

11102908

Common

 

Reminds me of Skyscraper, but for Samurai and it only works when the opponent attack’s.    Your opponent is going to know what’s coming so they might be able to steer around it.  I’d honestly rather play Rush Recklessly or Shrink. 

 

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RETURN OF THE SIX SAMURAI

[Trap Card]

Special Summon 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it at the end of this turn.

46874015

Common

 

This reminds me of when Kaiba Monster Reborn’ed his Obelisk.  Fun stuff.  This could give you an extra push to go for the win, or that extra Samurai you needed for another Samurai’s effect, or it could act as a blocker, and it’s a nice surprise.  With luck, you can make use of another six samurai’s effect, sacrificing your revived samurai since it’s going to die anyway.

 

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SWIFT SAMURAI STORM!

[Continuous Trap Card]

Each turn, after the first time a "Six Samurai" monster you control battles, all "Six Samurai" monsters you control gain 300 ATK until the end of this turn.

71934924

Common

 

I suppose this could help stop an assault that would wipe out your samurai group, but since it’s a continuous trap you are going to have to be careful. A quick Mystical Space Typhoon could leave you more surprised then your opponent.  Sweet art though, I’ll give this card that!

 

So, there ya have it.  A whole bunch of monsters, most of which are pretty good.  And then a handful of Spells and Traps, most of which I wouldn’t recommend playing, but that’s just me.  So, how does this deck win you say?  Well, before I answer that, maybe I should show you an example of a winning 6 Samurai deck.  I’d come up with one, but I’ve never played them.

Monsters:

1 Morphing Jar

1 Neo-Spacian Grand Mole

1 Jinzo

1 Sangan

1 D. D. Warrior Lady

1 The Six Samurai — Kamon

3 The Six Samurai — Yaichi

3 The Six Samurai — Irou

3 The Six Samurai — Zanji

3 Grandmaster of the Six Samurai

3 Cyber Dragon

 

Spells:

1 Scapegoat

1 Premature Burial

1 Snatch Steal

1 Heavy Storm

1 Nobleman of Crossout

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

2 Smashing Ground

2 Reinforcement of the Army

2 My Body as a Shield

 

Traps:

1 Mirror Force

1 Ring of Destruction

2 Sakuretsu Armor

1 Call of the Haunted

1 Torrential Tribute 

 

Obviously, this deck doesn’t mess around with some of the so-so support for the Six Samurai.  This is just straight up Samurai beatdown.  I’d break this deck down, but I don’t think I need to explain just about every single card. I’ve already gone over the Samurai, and I don’t think I need to explain why all of the usual cards are good. 

 

He did include My Body as a Shield, which I haven’t seen being used by anyone, other than me, use for a long time.  Obviously he is intent on making sure his monsters survive.

 

The main strengths of this deck are that it can swarm, quite easily. If the opponent has a face down monster and nothing else, you can Special Summon Cyber Dragon, Normal Summon Irou, then Special Summon Grandmaster.  You kill the face down with Irou, then hit for 4200.  For three cards, you took out an unknown, potentially deadly, creature AND more than half your opponent’s life points.  And to add to the swarm deadliness, Samurai is a toolbox.  With Reinforcements, you can search for a Samurai for virtually any situation.  And once they get some momentum, they can be very hard to stop as it might prove to be very difficult to kill that one in particular Samurai who is causing you trouble.

 

On the other side of things, this deck does have a key weakness. The Samurai’s reliance on the other Samurai. With the exception of Grandmaster, who only gets an effect when destroyed by an opponent’s card effect, all the other usually played Samurai don’t get their main effect if they are the only Samurai on the field.  If they can’t get moving, or they get out swarmed by another Six Samurai deck, Gravekeeper’s, or something, then it’s going to be a real uphill battle for the Samurai to come back.  Royal Oppression can put a HUGE monkey wrench in this deck’s strategy as well.  I’d certainly pay 800 points to stop a Grandmaster from allowing a Samurai assault.  I’d expect Royal Oppression to pop up in some side decks in upcoming tournaments.

 

So, there you have it. The 6 Samurai.  An excellent addition to an already impressive amount of powerful warrior monsters.  Expect them to show up at your locals, regionals, and SJC’s, at least until the next big thing comes along.

 

And that’s all I got for you all this time around.  Keep those e-mails and Private Messages coming.  Remember, it’s lonely_wolf93@yahoo.com. I’m always looking for more ideas.   I’ll probably be back with another article next week.  With SJC Columbus this weekend, I’m sure I’ll have something to write about.

 

Until next time, from the Den

 

Lonely Wolf